A LOW pressure area earlier monitored off the Visayas yesterday intensified into a tropical depression and entered the Philippine area of responsibility.
The tropical cyclone, which was named “Chedeng,” may further intensify into a tropical storm, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
In a bulletin issued at 5 p.m. yesterday, PAGASA said Chedeng, the country’s third cyclone this year, was some 1,150 km east of southeastern Luzon as of 4 p.m yesterday. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph and was almost stationary.
Chedeng was not expected to make landfall, and not likely to directly bring heavy rainfall in any portion of the country in the next three to five days.
But it said Chedeng may enhance the southwest monsoon.
“Owing to favorable environmental conditions, Chedeng is forecast to intensify in the next four days and may be upgraded to tropical storm category in the next 12 hours,” PAGASA said.
“This tropical cyclone may reach typhoon category by Thursday and reach its peak intensity on Friday or during the weekend while over the Philippine Sea east of northern Luzon,” it added.
PAGASA said Chedeng will will gradually accelerate and move generally northwestward in the next 24 hours before turning west northwestward on Thursday.
“Afterwards, the tropical cyclone will begin turning towards the northwest on Friday and to the north during the weekend,” said PAGASA.
