The severe tropical storm outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) with international name “Surigae” has maintained its strength Thursday, April 15, and now slowly moves towards the country in a north-northwestward direction.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the center of the tropical cyclone was estimated at 1,140 kilometers East of Mindanao, outside PAR, as of 3 p.m.
It still has a maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometer per hour (kph) near the center with gustiness of 115 kph while slowly moving north-northwestward.
“Posible po itong pumasok sa ating area of responsibility mamayang gabi o bukas ng umaga (It will possibly enter our area of responsibility tonight or tomorrow morning),” PAGASA weather specialist Ana Clauren.
It will then be given a local name “Bising”, the second tropical cyclone to enter the country this year.
Clauren said the weather disturbance has no direct effect yet in any part of the country.
But she noted that it may further intensify into a typhoon category in the next 36 hours while inside PAR.
The cyclone also has a slim chance of making landfall, but it may affect the eastern portion of Southern Luzon and Visayas in the coming days.
In its 24-hour weather forecast issued at 4 p.m., PAGASA said the easterlies or warm and humid winds from the Pacific would affect the eastern section of Visayas and Mindanao.
Metro Manila and the rest of the country may experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to the easterlies and localized thunderstorms.
PAGASA has not issued a gale warning, meaning fishing boats and other small sea crafts are allowed to venture out into the sea.