The low-pressure area (LPA) east of the country developed into a tropical depression on Sunday, Oct. 20, and will be named “Kristine” once it enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Monday morning, Oct. 21, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

In its initial tropical cyclone advisory, PAGASA said the center of the tropical depression was located 1,255 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon around 10 p.m.

It has maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts reaching up to 70 kph, moving westward at 30 kph.

Based on the latest forecast track, it may make landfall over the northeastern portion of Cagayan province by Friday, Oct. 25.

Over the next 12 hours, the tropical cyclone may intensify into a tropical storm and reach the severe tropical storm category by Tuesday afternoon or evening, Oct. 22.

It could become a typhoon by Thursday afternoon or evening, Oct. 24 ahead of its landfall.

“Since this tropical cyclone is still over the Philippine Sea, further intensification is likely given the favorable environmental conditions—high sea surface temperature and low wind shear,” PAGASA said.

“Changes in the forecast track are also not ruled out, depending on the movement of the [other] weather systems over the mid-latitude in the coming days,” it added.