MANILA, Philippines – Weather bureau PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration) has on Tuesday, 05 November 2019, announced that “a tropical depression is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) in 24 hours.”
The Low-Pressure Area (LPA) which is yet outside PAR became a tropical depression at 2 a.m., Tuesday.
PAGASA reported in its 4 a.m. bulletin Tuesday that the tropical depression is 610 kilometers west of Iba, Zambales.
Tropical depression is almost stationary or hardly moving, but within 24 hours it is expected to enter PAR.
A local name “Quiel” will be given when it enters PAR.
At the moment, the tropical depression has a maximum wind speed of 45 kilometers per hour (km/h) and gusts of up to 55 km/h.
PAGASA indicated that it may escalate into a tropical storm within 24 hours.
The tropical depression is unlikely to make landfall in the country, the weather state bureau added.
However, along with the frontal system, its trough or extension will carry intermittent rainfall to the areas of Ilocos Region, Cagayan, Apaya, Batanes, Palawan, Zambales and Bataan. PAGASA warned that the rain will mostly be light to medium, yet may sometimes be heavy.
According to PAGASA Weather Specialist Benison Estareja, the frontal system is the boundary between the northeast monsoon or hanging Amihan and warm air from the east.
In the meantime, outside PAR, PAGASA is also monitoring a strong tropical storm with an international name “Halong.”
The Halong Severe Tropical Storm is 3,180 kilometers east of extreme Northern Luzon, moving at 15 km / h northwest.
It has a maximum wind speed of 140 km / h and gusts of up to 170 km / h.
Based on current data, Halong is not seen to enter PAR, PAGASA said.
The Philippine had 16 tropical cyclones in 2019, with none yet in November.
The country experiences an average of 20 tropical cyclones per year, but only 14 to 18 tropical cyclones are forecast as 2019 is an El Niño year.
The number of tropical cyclones estimated for the last two months of 2019 is November 1 or 2, December 0 or 1.
PAGASA announced the rainy season started last June 14. (Marian Andrei Sinaban/IAMIGO/CNS)
