PAGASA: Approaching storm may enter PAR this weekend

An approaching tropical storm that may enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility this weekend is likely to make landfall over the Visayas or Mindanao, state weather forecasters said Friday.

 

PAGASA forecaster Elvie Enriquez also said the tropical storm, internationally codenamed Bopha, is likely to continue intensifying as it remains at sea.

 

"Oo, kung hindi sa Visayas, sa Mindanao," Enriquez said in an interview on dzBB radio when asked if the storm may make landfall.

 

But she said that while the storm may bring rainy weather, the rain may last only until the first week of December.

 

After that, she said the country may expect relatively good weather for the rest of the month.

 

Enriquez said the storm, to be locally codenamed Pablo once it enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility, may enter the PAR on Sunday night or Monday morning.

 

"Halos concentrated ito sa Visayas at Mindanao pero dapat hindi ikawalang bahala kasi malayo pa lang tropical storm na yan. Inaasahan natin lalakas yan dahil sa dagat," she said.

 

The US Joint Typhoon Warning Center also included the Bicol Region in the coverage of Bopha's landfall.

 

The Japan Meteorological Agency's 5:45 a.m. bulletin indicated Bopha may intensify on December 1 and 2.

 

It said that as of 5:45 a.m. Friday, the storm was moving west at 20 kph with winds of 83.34 kph near the center and gustiness of 120.38 kph.

 

JMA said the storm may then move west-northwest 15 kph but will intensify with winds of 101.86 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 148.16 kph.

 

NDRRMC urges Iligan, CDO to prepare

 

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council advised Iligan and Cagayan de Oro to prepare for the impact of the storm, radio dzBB's Glen Juego reported.

 

NDRRMC head Benito Ramos was quoted in the report as saying they do not want a repeat of tropical cyclone Sendong, which hit when people were asleep and caused many deaths.

 

For Friday, PAGASA said the inter-tropical convergence zone is affecting southern Mindanao.

 

"Davao Region and the provinces of South Cotabato and Sarangani will have cloudy skies with occasional light to moderate rain showers or thunderstorms. Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be partly cloudy with isolated brief rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening," it said in its 5 a.m. bulletin.

 

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast to east will prevail over Luzon and coming from the northeast over Eastern Visayas and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough, it added.

 

PAGASA said that elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the northeast with slight to moderate seas. — with Shai Panela/RSJ, GMA News