The cyclone outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) intensified into a tropical storm with international name "Surigae" on Wednesday morning, April 14.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) estimated the location of the storm at 1,210 kilometers east of Mindanao at around 4 a.m.
It has maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph. It is moving north-northwest at 10 kph.
PAGASA weather specialist Benison Estareja said Surigae will likely enter the PAR by Friday as a typhoon.
It will be given a local name "Bising" once inside the PAR.
Estareja said it is still uncertain if the weather disturbance will make landfall because it is still too far and is moving slowly.
"May scenario kasi na nakikita na lalapit ito sa Eastern Visayas at Bicol Region, at meron ring pinapakita na pa-hilaga at magre-recurve matapos na pumasok sa ating Philippine area of responsibility so hindi na siya maglalandfall. (There is a scenario that it will approach Eastern Visayas and Bicol Region, and there is also another one where it will go further north and recurve after entering the Philippine area of responsibility so it will not make landfall)," he explained.
As of Wednesday morning, PAGASA said the easterlies, or the warm air coming from the Pacific Ocean, remains the dominant weather system over Luzon and Visayas, bringing warm and humid weather conditions across most of the archipelago.
Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms will prevail due to the easterlies and localized thunderstorms, PAGASA said.
However, it warned the public to take necessary precautions against possible flash floods or landslides that may occur during severe thunderstorms.