New storm to enter PAR tomorrow

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) is monitoring a tropical cyclone that might enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) tomorrow.

The tropical depression located about 2,400 kilometers east of Luzon or outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) is seen to move slowly at 7 kilometers per hour (kph) westnorthwest, PAGASA senior weather forecaster Chris Perez said.

It has maximum sustained winds of 55 kph.

If it maintains its current movement, Perez said the weather disturbance will be inside the PAR by tomorrow. It will be given a local name of “Jenny” once it is over the Philippine Sea. It will be the first tropical cyclone to enter PAR this month and 10th this year.

Perez, however, said the cyclone has a slim chance of making landfall over any part of the country as it moves north toward Japan.

Currently, a trough, which is a weather system favorable for tropical cyclones, is passing north of the tropical depression and will steer the cyclone northward, Perez explained.

But the tropical depression will enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat as it nears the country. He noted that monsoon rains will be experienced initially over Mindanao.

This Tuesday, the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone or ITCZ continues to be the prevailing weather system over Visayas and Mindanao.

PAGASA said cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms will be experienced over Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Dinagat Islands, South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental and Davao Occidental.

Meanwhile, partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated thunderstorms will prevail over Metro Manila and the rest of the country.