MANILA, Philippines — The weather disturbance outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility developed into a tropical storm, state weather bureau PAGASA said Wednesday.
The tropical storm was given the international name “Surigae.” At 3 a.m. it was seen 1,210 kilometers east of Mindanao.
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The storm was heading north-northwest at 10 km per hour, while packing peak winds of 65 kph and gusts of up to 80 kph.
It is expected to move northward while slightly slowing down until Thursday. Then, it will turn west-northwestward and gradually speed up.
The storm is forecast to enter PAR on Friday. Once it does, it will be given a local name “Bising”—the second tropical storm in the country this year.
It may eventually intensify into a typhoon on Friday.
Weather specialist Benison Estareja said it remains uncertain whether or not the potential “Bising” will make landfall in the country due to its current distance from land and its slow movement.
“May scenario kasi na sinasabing lalapit ito sa may Eastern Visayas and Bicol region at meron ding scenario na ito ay pahilaga or magre-recurve matapos pumasok sa PAR so hindi na siya magla-landfall kaya patuloy ang monitoring natin regarding sa pagbabago sa kilos ng bagyo,” he said.
(There is a scenario in which the cyclone will be near Eastern Visayas and Bicol region. There is another scenario in which it will move north and recurve after entering PAR so it will not make landfall. That’s why our monitoring about the changes in the storm’s movements is continuous.)
For now, it remains “less likely” that the storm will directly affect the country over the next three days. — Gaea Katreena Cabico