Tropical Storm Gardo enters PAR - PAGASA

Tropical Storm Higos entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday afternoon and will be assigned the domestic name, “Gardo,” state weather bureau PAGASA said.

As of 4 p.m., Gardo was last monitored 1,400 kilometers east of extreme northern Luzon. It packs a maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour near the center, and gustiness of up to 105 kilometers per hour.

The tropical storm is moving northwestward at 45 kilometers per hour, PAGASA added.

There’s no tropical cyclone wind signal currently hoisted.

PAGASA said that Gardo will remain far from the Philippine landmass throughout the forecast period and may exit PAR on Friday, June 26. \

“It is forecast to move north northwestward to northward until it exits PAR by tomorrow (26 June) morning or afternoon. Outside PAR, it is expected to turn generally northeastward towards southern Japan,” the state weather bureau said.

Gardo is forecast to remain as a tropical storm throughout the forecast period. But PAGASA said that intensification into a severe tropical storm is still possible.

Meanwhile, Severe Tropical Storm Francisco was last monitored 575 kilometers northeast of Itbayat, Batanes as of 2 p.m. It is moving north northeastward at 15 kilometers per hour.

According to the 24-hour weather forecast issued at 4 p.m., cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms are expected over Batanes and Babuyan Islands due to Francisco.

Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon or Habagat will dampen Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, Metro Manila Manila, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Calabarzon, Western Visayas, the rest of Cagayan Valley, the rest of Central Luzon, the rest of Mimaropa, and the rest of Luzon and Visayas.—Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA News