The tropical cyclone with the international name “Megi” has intensified into a severe tropical storm before its expected entry into the Philippine Area of Responsibility yesterday afternoon.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration estimated the location of Megi at 1,510 kilometers east of Central Luzon before noon yesterday.
It has maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 120 kph, moving west-northwest at 24 kph.
If it maintains its speed and track, Megi was expected inside the PAR yesterday afternoon and will be given a local name of “Helen,” the fourth tropical cyclone this month and eighth this year.
Tomorrow, PAGASA said Southern Luzon and Visayas will be cloudy with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms, while partly cloudy to cloudy skies with some isolated rain showers or thunderstorms will prevail over the rest of the country.
By Monday, the weather disturbance will move closer to extreme Northern Luzon if it maintains a west-northwest movement.
PAGASA warned residents in Batanes against stormy weather and rough to very rough seas.
Occasional rains and gusty winds will prevail over the rest of extreme Northern Luzon while Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, and Western Visayas will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms.
The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with some isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
By Tuesday, Megi is expected to leave the country’s vicinity but Ilocos, Occidental Mindoro, and Palawan will continue to have cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms.
Meanwhile, partly cloudy to cloudy skies with some isolated rain showers or thunderstorms will prevail over the rest of the country.
By Wednesday until Friday, northern Palawan and Occidental Mindoro will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms.
The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy skies with some isolated rain showers or thunderstorms. (Ellalyn B. de Vera)