Tropical storm threatens Northern Luzon

MANILA, Philippines - A tropical storm over the Pacific Ocean is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility next week and may hit Northern Luzon, state weather forecasters warned yesterday.

Rene Paciente, weather forecasting section chief of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said the storm was forecast to enter the country on Monday.

Paciente said the weather disturbance, which will be locally named Glenda once inside the Philippine area of responsibility, is likely to hit Northern Luzon by Tuesday or Wednesday.

“The new storm has a lower track than Typhoon Florita (international name Neoguri),” Paciente said.

Florita, which has reached super typhoon category, spared the Philippines last week.

The typhoon left three people dead and 49 injured in Japan.

Paciente said like Florita, the new storm may also enhance the southwest monsoon, which may trigger rains in some parts of the country.

“Rains are also expected in Metro Manila by Thursday when the storm moves closer to Northern Luzon,” Paciente said.

According to the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), the storm was last located at about 414 kilometers east southeast of the Andersen air force base in Guam.

It is expected to intensify into a typhoon while over the Philippine Sea, the JTWC noted.

The JTWC said the typhoon will head toward Taiwan and Japan after passing through the Philippine area of responsibility.

Meanwhile, PAGASA said the intertropical convergence zone will bring light to moderate rains and thunderstorms over the regions of Davao and Caraga this weekend.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.