MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Depression Mirasol may develop into a tropical storm either tonight or Thursday morning, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Wednesday.
Nathaniel Servando, Pagasa administrator, said Signal No. 1 is still up over Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, the northern and central portions of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Baler and Maria Aurora), Apayao, Abra, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, the northeastern portion of Pangasinan (San Nicolas, Natividad, San Manuel, Sison, San Quintin and Tayug), and the northern portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan and Pantabangan).
Forecast to move north-northwestward within the next 12 hours, “Mirasol” will re-emerge over the Luzon Strait this afternoon or evening and will continue moving northwestward until it exits the Philippine Area of Responsibility Thursday morning or afternoon.
Moving northwestward at 15 kilometers per hour (kph), the tropical cyclone is in the vicinity of Alfonso Lista, Ifugao.
It has maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph, Pagasa said.
Once it is over the Luzon Strait, it is forecast to intensify and may reach tropical storm category tonight or tomorrow early morning, Servando said.
