By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz
Typhoon "Paeng" (international name "Trami") did not have a significant impact as it left the Philippines on Saturday but the weather bureau is monitoring a new tropical cyclone for its potential impact when it enters the country's area of responsibility on Tuesday.
Weather specialist Gener Quitlong of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said typhoon Paeng has left the country between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. Saturday and will no longer influence the country's weather.
(PAGASA / MANILA BULLETIN)
Its effect will only be on the coastlines of northern and eastern Luzon. Fishing boats and other small sea crafts were still advised not to set sail into the sea, while larger sea vessels were alerted against rough to very rough seas.
Meanwhile, the low pressure area (LPA) being monitored by PAGASA has intensified into a tropical depression. It is still outside the country's area of responsibility or about 1,990 km east of Visayas around Saturday noon.
It was still a weak cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 60 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 75 kph on Saturday, but Quitlong said the cyclone may further intensify while on its way towards the Philippines.
It is still uncertain whether or not the cyclone will have a significant impact, as it is still too far from the country as of Saturday.
The weather disturbance is moving relatively fast at 45 kph west-northwest. Should it maintain its speed and direction, the cyclone will be inside the Philippine area of responsibility by Tuesday and will be named "Queenie."
Queenie will be the 17th cyclone this year and first in October.
It is expected to intensify into a storm by Sunday. By this time, PAGASA said the cyclone will be 1,610 km east of Virac, Cataduanes.
By Monday, the weather disturbance will be 1,620 km east of Baler, Aurora, and may further intensify into a severe tropical storm.
By Tuesday, the cyclone will be 1,290 km east of Tuguegarao City in Cagayan province, likely as a typhoon.