The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Monday, Oct. 6, that a severe tropical storm with the internatioal name “Halong” is unlikely to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and will not have any direct impact on the country’s weather.

PAGASA weather specialist Daniel James Villamil said that as of 3 a.m., Halong was spotted 2,105 kilometers east-northeast of extreme Northern Luzon, moving slowly northwestward.

“It is less likely to enter PAR, but in the event that it does, it will be given the local name ‘Quedan,’” Villamil said in Filipino.

“Even if it enters, it will only graze the northern boundary of PAR and will not affect the country’s weather since its center will remain far away,” he added.

Villamil said PAGASA is also monitoring a cloud cluster south of Halong, which remains outside PAR.

While it is still far from the Philippines, PAGASA is not ruling out the possibility that it could develop into a low-pressure area (LPA) within the day or in the coming days.

Currently, the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is affecting weather conditions in parts of the country, Villamil said.

The ITCZ forms where northern and southern hemisphere winds converge, producing rain clouds and thunderstorms.

From Tuesday to Wednesday, Oct. 7 to 8, cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms may prevail over Palawan, Zamboanga Peninsula, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Western Visayas, and Negros Island Region.

By Thursday to Friday, Oct. 9 to 10, generally clear to partly cloudy skies are expected to prevail throughout the country, apart from isolated rain showers or localized thunderstorms in the afternoon or evening.

PAGASA advised the public to remain alert for possible flash floods and landslides, particularly during moderate to heavy rainfall or severe thunderstorms.