Pagasa: ‘Ambo’ may intensify as it threatens Bicol region

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical depression Ambo may develop into a tropical storm on Thursday and may make landfall in the Bicol region, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Monday.

As of 3 a.m. Monday, the center of Ambo was spotted 385 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur.

The tropical depression has maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 55 kph, Pagasa weather specialist Ariel Rojas said in an early Monday morning forecast.

It is moving northwest at 10 kph.

“Makikita natin sa ating forecast track na sa Huwebes ay posible pa [itong] lumakas mula sa tropical depression. Ito ay magiging tropical storm habang papalapit dyan sa may Bicol region at nakikita rin natin ang posibleng paglandfall nito sa may Bicol area sa Huwebes din,” said Rojas.

(Based on our forecast track, “Ambo” may intensify from a tropical depression to a tropical storm on Thursday as approaches the Bicol region where it may make landfall on Thursday.)

On Monday, the trough or extension of “Ambo” will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms to Mindanao, according to Pagasa’s weather bulletin.  Flash floods and landslides are possible.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have hot and humid weather anew with partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to localized thunderstorms especially in the afternoon and evening.

No gale warning has been raised by the weather bureau.

Forecast temperature range in key cities:

Metro Manila: 26 to 36 degrees Celsius
Baguio City: 17 to 26 degrees Celsius
Laoag City:  25 to 34 degrees Celsius
Tuguegarao: 26 to 39 degrees Celsius
Legazpi City: 26 to 34 degrees Celsius
Tagaytay City: 23 to 33 degrees Celsius
Puerto Princesa City: 27 to 35 degrees Celsius
Iloilo City: 27 to 33 degrees Celsius
Cebu City: 27 to 34 degrees Celsius
Tacloban City: 26 to 32 degrees Celsius
Cagayan De Oro City: 27 to 31 degrees Celsius
Zamboanga City: 26 to 32 degrees Celsius
Davao City: 26 to 31 degrees Celsius

GSG