The low-pressure area off the Pacific Ocean has intensified into a tropical depression and given a local name of “Karen.”
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration located tropical depression Karen at 565 kilometers east of Catarman, Northern Samar before noon yesterday, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 70 kph. It is forecast to move relatively slow at 11 kph west-northwest.
PAGASA weather forecaster Meno Mendoza said that if Karen maintains its current speed and direction, it will make landfall over Quezon or Aurora by Sunday.
He added that the tropical cyclone could cross Central or Northern Luzon after its landfall and leave the country’s area of responsibility by Monday.
Meanwhile, cloudy skies with moderate to occasional heavy rains and thunderstorms, which may trigger possible floods and landslides, will be experienced over Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar, Southern Leyte, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, and Sorsogon today.
Meanwhile, cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms will prevail over Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Romblon, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Rizal, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and the rest of Visayas.
(Ellalyn B. de Vera)
