MANILA, Philippines — Two tropical depressions – ‘Mirasol’ and ‘Nando’ – are inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), but the former would likely exit Thursday morning while the latter is seen to dump torrential rains in the coming days, the weather agency said.
Nathaniel Servando, administrator of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said “Mirasol” is moving west-northwestward over the sea west of extreme Northern Luzon.
Signal No.1 is still up over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, the western portion of mainland Cagayan (Santo Niño, Camalaniugan, Pamplona, Rizal, Claveria, Lasam, Aparri, Ballesteros, Abulug, Allacapan, Sanchez-Mira and Santa Praxedes), Apayao, the northern portion of Abra (Pidigan, San Juan, Tayum, Langiden, Lagangilang, Danglas, La Paz, Licuan-Baay, Tineg, Malibcong, Peñarrubia, San Isidro, San Quintin, Dolores, Lagayan, Bangued, Bucay, Lacub and Sallapadan), Ilocos Norte, and the northern portion of Ilocos Sur (Sinait, Cabugao, San Juan, Magsingal, Santo Domingo, Bantay, San Vicente, San Ildefonso, Santa Catalina, City of Vigan, Caoayan, Santa, Nagbukel and Narvacan).
Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon or habagat has been affecting Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon, Servando said.
Moving west-northwestward at 10 kilometers per hour (kph), “Mirasol” was estimated some 165 kilometers (kms) west of Calayan, Cagayan, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph, Pagasa said.
“Nando” is less likely to directly affect the weather in the next 48 hours.
However, heavy rains due to the southwest monsoon and tropical depression Nando is possible by Sunday or Monday, Pagasa said.
“Nando will continue to intensify while over the Philippine Sea and may reach typhoon category by Saturday and further intensification into super typhoon category is not ruled out,” Servando said.
Moving west-northwestward at 15kph, it was estimated at 1,225kms east of Southeastern Luzon with maximum sustained winds of 55kph and gustiness of up to 70kph.
Nando may potentially enhance the southwest monsoon as it approaches the landmass, the Pagasa administrator said.
The highest storm signal that may be hoisted throughout its passage is Wind Signal No. 5 “considering that this tropical cyclone has a possibility to reach super typhoon category,” he added.
