1st typhoon of the year expected Thursday, Friday

Cyclone “Surigae” further strengthened into a severe tropical storm on Thursday, but weather forecasters said it still did not pose any significant threat to any part of the country. The weather disturbance is expected to enter the Philippine territory as a typhoon between Thursday night and Friday morning, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa). Once inside the country’s area of responsibility, it will be named “Bising,” the second storm of the year. As of 3 p.m. on Thursday, its center was seen 1,140 kilometers east of Mindanao. It gradually slowed down throughout the day, but continued to move slowly toward the north-northwest direction. Surigae packed winds of up to 95 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 115 kph. Pagasa forecasters said Surigae is expected to move west-northwestward until Sunday, then recurve and move northward by Monday, while still remaining over the Philippine Sea. —JHESSET O. ENANO