By: Ellalyn de Vera-Ruiz
Tropical cyclone “Gorio” has intensified into a storm and slightly slowed down, spawning more rains over a large part of Luzon and Visayas that may last until the weekend, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
PAGASA estimated the location of Gorio at 615 kilometers (km) east of Casiguran, Aurora around 3 p.m. Wednesday.
It has maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 90 kph. It is moving north away from the country at 13 kph.
Weather forecaster Obet Badrina said the eye of the storm is too far from the land but its outer rain bands were bringing light to moderate rains over the eastern sections of Luzon and Visayas.
Gorio has a slim chance of making landfall over any part of the country. So far, no tropical cyclone warning signals were raised.
The cyclone may not intensify further into a typhoon but Badrina warned the public to remain on alert for possible floods or landslides due to the southwest monsoon.
Gorio is continuously enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat, bringing moderate to occasionally heavy rains over Western Visayas and the western part of Luzon, including Metro Manila.
“As Gorio continues to move north, it will also continue to pull the southwest monsoon inland that will bring rains over a huge portion of Luzon until the weekend,” Badrina said.
Once another cyclone named Sonca off West Philippine Sea or outside the country’s area of responsibility dissipates, Badrina said Gorio will reinforce the southwest monsoon, thus more rains will be felt in Luzon.
