The tropical depression east of Luzon has intensified into a tropical storm but will not enter the country’s area of responsibility.
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration weather specialist Shelly Ignacio said the tropical storm with international name “Jongdari” has a slim chance of entering the country’s area of responsibility and will have no direct effect on the country.
Ignacio added that the storm will have a minimal effect on the southwest monsoon or “habagat,” which brought heavy rains that caused massive flooding in Luzon and Visayas in the past few days.
Before noon yesterday, Jongdari was estimated at 1,545 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 80 kph. It is moving east-northeast slowly.
The southwest monsoon and trough or extension of the tropical storm will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, Samar, and Southern Leyte. (Ellalyn V. Ruiz)
