The tropical storm with international name “Chaba” entered the country’s area of responsibility yesterday morning and was given a local name of “Igme,” the first tropical cyclone this month and ninth this year.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration located Igme at about 1,380 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora at around 10 a.m.
It has maximum sustained winds of up to 100 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 125 kph, moving northwest at 25 kph.
PAGASA had earlier said the storm will recurve towards Japan, thus, it will not likely make landfall over any part of the Philippines.
Should it maintain its current movement, Igme will be at 985 kms east of Basco, Batanes this morning and 895 kms northeast of Basco, Batanes tomorrow morning.
By Tuesday morning, PAGASA said Igme will be outside the country’s area of responsibility.
Meanwhile, PAGASA spotted a new low pressure area west of the country or about 270 km west of Basco yesterday.
Cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms will be experienced over Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur, South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, Zambales, and Bataan today.
Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms will prevail over Metro Manila and the rest of the country. (Ellalyn B. de Vera)