The tropical depression east of the country has slightly slowed down but is still anticipated to enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) by Thursday and move towards the Bicol region over the weekend.
In its tropical cyclone advisory issued at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) estimated the weather disturbance at. 1,960 kilometers east of Central Luzon.
It has maintained its strength of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 70 kph, while moving west-northwest slowly.
PAGASA said the tropical depression will move generally west or west-northwest towards the eastern boundary of the PAR, then southwest by Thursday afternoon through Saturday morning.
It was earlier anticipated to enter the PAR between Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, but because the cyclone has slightly slowed down, it is now anticipated to enter on Thursday afternoon or evening.
Once inside the PAR, the tropical depression will get the local name "Rolly."
Based on the PAGASA's long-range forecast, the cyclone may begin to move generally west by Saturday afternoon towards Bicol.
The tropical depression's further intensification into a tropical storm with maximum wind speed of 62 kph to 88 kph is also anticipated within 24 hours.
PAGASA said the weather disturbance may continue to intensify while moving over the Philippine Sea and become a typhoon (with maximum wind speed of 118 to 220 kph) prior to landfall over Bicol.
Just last Sunday, typhoon "Quinta" also made landfall over Bicol, particularly over Albay province before it traversed the Southern Luzon region.
If its initial track is sustained, PAGASA said the latest cyclone will be at 1,590 km east of Central Luzon (Baler, Aurora) as a tropical storm by Thursday morning; 1,150 km east of Central Luzon as a severe tropical storm by Friday morning; 600 km east of Daet, Camarines Norte as a typhoon by Saturday morning; and at 25 km west of Virac, Catanduanes by Sunday morning.
The cyclone has no direct effect yet over the country as of Wednesday, but its initial effect may be felt more likely towards the end of the week.
So far, the trough or extension of typhoon "Quinta," while it is already outside the PAR, may still bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Western Visayas.
Batanes and Cagayan will have light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms due to the tail-end of a frontal system.
Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of the country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers.