LPA off Guiuan, Eastern Samar now Tropical Depression 'Ofel'

MANILA, Philippines—PAGASA on Tuesday said the low pressure area spotted in Guiuan, Eastern Samar has developed into Tropical Depression "Ofel" which is seen to make landfall Wednesday morning.

The state weather bureau reported that Ofel has maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour with gustiness of up to 55 kilometers per hour. 

"[It] will move generally north-northwestward today through tomorrow afternoon and will make landfall over Eastern Samar-Northern Samar area tomorrow morning," PAGASA said in its 5 p.m. bulletin.

Ofel will bring moderate to heavy rains beginning Tuesday to Wednesday morning over Catanduanes, Masbate, lbay, Sorsogon, Northern and Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran and the northern portion of Leyte. 

Light to moderate with occasional heavy rains, meanwhile, will be experienced over the rest of Eastern Visayas and the Bicol region. 

Signal No. 1 has been raised in Sorsogon, Northern Samar, and the northern portions of Eastern Samar and Samar due to Ofel, which may see "occasional gusts associated with the tropical depression."

PAGASA said the weather condition in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers, but it will be caused by localized thunderstorms and not of Ofel or the Southwest Monsoon, also known as the Habagat. 

Ofel is the 15th tropical cyclone to hit the Philippines this year and is seen to intensify into a tropical storm within the next 48 hours as it approaches the West Philippine Sea. 

RELATED: La Niña amid pandemic: What local governments, communities can do to prepare

The weather bureau this October announced the onset of the La Niña in the country, which is projected to persist until the first quarter of 2021 or until March of next year. 

During this time, around five to eight tropical cyclones are expected to hit the Philippines which will also see above normal rainfall conditions.