'Labuyo' to remain in RP in next 4 days

MANILA, Philippines - Tropical storm “Labuyo” is expected to remain in the Philippine area of responsibility in the next four days, bringing moderate to heavy rains over most parts of the country, the state weather bureau said yesterday.

Gener Quitlong, weather forecaster of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said Labuyo is expected to intensify into a typhoon based on its present speed and direction.

Labuyo, the 12th tropical cyclone to enter the country this year and the first this month, intensified from a tropical depression into a storm yesterday morning.

He said the weather disturbance is still far to directly affect the country but will strengthen the southwest monsoon, bringing moderate to heavy rains over southern Luzon and the Visayas, particularly the western section, in the next four days.

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, the eye of Labuyo was spotted at 580 kilometers east of Tuguegarao, Cagayan with maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. It is forecast to move westward at 7 kph.

No public storm warning signals were raised as of yesterday afternoon.

Quitlong said the storm has a slim chance of making a landfall in any part of the country.

He said Metro Manila will experience cloudy skies with scattered rains in the next 24 to 48 hours, as the storm moves closer to the country.

He said Labuyo is forecast to move to the Batanes-Taiwan area in the next two days. – Helen Flores