Mangkhut strengthens as it nears PAR; Neneng's trough still bringing rains

Approaching Typhoon Mangkhut continued to gain strength as it moved toward the Philippine Area of Responsiblity (PAR) on Tuesday afternoon, even as the trough of Tropical Storm Neneng continues to bring rainy weather over some Northern Luzon provinces as it moved further away from.

Mangkhut, whose eye was last spotted 1,650 kilometers East of southern Luzon, packing winds moving 185 kph near the center with gustiness of up to 225 kph.

Forecast to move West toward the Philippines at a speed of 30 kph, PAGASA said Mangkhut could enter PAR and be known as "Ompong" by Wednesday afternoon.

Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal (TCWS) #1 may be raised as early as Wednesday evening.

"The typhoon is threatening Northern Luzon and may traverse the Cagayan-Batanes Area this Saturday," PAGASA said in a weather report by specialist Aldczar Aurelio.

Meanwhile, even as Neneng exited PAR earlier on Tuesday, PAGASA's 4 p.m. weather forecast said its trough could still bring scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms over Batanes, Babuyan Group of Islands and Ilocos provinces.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country, on the other hand, may experience partly cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers due to localized thunderstorms.

PAGASA said Neneng was 425 kilometers West of Extreme Northern Luzon as of 3 p.m., packing maximum sustained winds moving 85 kph near the center with gustinesss of up to 105 kph.

The tropical storm, now going by its international name "Banjat," is expected to continue west-southwest at 15 kph. —JST, GMA News