Two tropical cyclones are now being monitored by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) as the tropical depression east of Central Luzon has entered the country's area of responsibility at around 8 p.m., Friday, Oct. 8, and was given a local name "Nando."
Nando joins tropical depression "Maring" (international name "Kompasu"), which entered the PAR on Thursday, Oct. 7.
PAGASA on Friday said both Maring and Nando are embedded within the larger circulation of a "monsoon depression."
Maring, Nando may merge
In its 11 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Maring became a "large" tropical storm, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph while moving east-northeastward at 15 kph.
PAGASA estimated the location of the center of storm Maring at 715 kilometers (km) east of Borongan City, Eastern Samar, or 790 km east of Catarman, Northern Samar at around 10 p.m.
Meanwhile, Nando has maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph while moving west-northwestward at 20 kph.
Its center was estimated at 1,305 km east of Northern Luzon as of 10 p.m.
"Tropical storm Maring is forecast to move northeastward, then northwestward in the next 36 hours as it interacts with the circulation of the tropical depression, which may end up in a potential merger. Afterward, the storm is forecast to track west-northwestward on Sunday (Oct. 10) through Tuesday morning (Oct. 12) towards Luzon Strait," PAGASA said.
"On the forecast track, Maring will cross the Luzon Strait and pass over or close to Batanes and Babuyan Islands on Monday or Tuesday," it added.
Signal No. 1 may be hoisted over northern Luzon
PAGASA said Nando has no direct effect yet on the country but Maring will continue to bring moderate to heavy rains over Eastern Visayas and Caraga until Saturday evening, Oct. 9.
Light to moderate with at times heavy rains may also prevail over Bicol Region, Cebu, and Bohol.
Beginning Saturday afternoon or evening, PAGASA said light to moderate with at times heavy rains may affect Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, and the rest of Visayas as the southwesterly wind flow enhanced by Maring affects these areas.
It advised affected residents to remain vigilant against possible isolated scattered flooding, including flash floods, and rain-induced landslides especially those in areas that are highly susceptible to these hazards.
Based on its current forecast scenario, PAGASA said there is a "high likelihood that tropical cyclone wind signal number 1 will be hoisted over some areas in northern Luzon by Saturday or Sunday, Oct. 10, in anticipation of "strong breeze to near-gale conditions with higher gusts."
It also noted that the highest possible wind signal for tropical storm Maring remains Signal No. 2, and may further intensify into a severe tropical storm by Sunday evening.
However, PAGASA pointed out that due to the expansive wind field of the tropical storm, occasional gusts reaching strong breeze to near gale in strength may still be experienced over Eastern Visayas, Caraga, Catanduanes, Albay, and Sorsogon even in the absence of a wind signal.