Pagasa says Isang intensifies, now a tropical storm

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Storm Isang intensified earlier than expected as it continues to move west northwest, updates from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) late Friday evening night showed.

Pagasa said in its bulletin that Isang now packs maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 80 kph.  It was last seen 825 kilometers east of extreme northern Luzon, moving west northwest at a speed of 15 kph.

Initially, Pagasa said that Isang may be a tropical storm by Saturday afternoon, as it continues to hover above the Philippine Sea.

State meteorologists do not see Isang directly affecting local weather systems, as the isolated rains experienced in various parts of the country can be attributed to easterlies, or the warm winds from the Pacific Ocean.  No tropical cyclone wind signals may be raised due to the storm’s distance from the landmass.

Still, there is a possibility that Isang would intensify and pull the southwest monsoon, even if the country is currently experiencing a monsoon break.

Isang is still expected to continue moving northwest on Saturday evening, at around 540 kilometers east of Itbayat, Batanes.  It may exit the Philippine area of responsibility between Sunday afternoon and Sunday evening, still as a tropical storm.

It is expected to start weakening back to a tropical depression by Monday evening, when it is 1,280 kilometers north northeast of extreme Northern Luzon, or when it moves over waters between China and Japan.

JPV