MANILA, Philippines —The low-pressure area off northern Luzon has strengthened into tropical depression Gardo, adding to the country’s woes as Super Typhoon Hinnamnor threatens to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) on Tuesday afternoon said the center of TD Gardo was last plotted 1,195 kilometers east of extreme northern Luzon with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph.
It noted that the trough of the storm would trigger overcast skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms in Aurora, Calabarzon, and Camarines Norte.
Localized thunderstorms, on the other hand, will bring isolated rains to Metro Manila and the rest of the country, according to the state weather service.
In a separate advisory, Pagasa said super typhoon Hinnamnor, which will now be assigned the domestic name “Henry,” remains outside the Philippine area of responsibility as of 5 p.m.
“Hinnamnor intensified into a super typhoon at 2 p.m. today. This tropical cyclone may continue to intensify over the sea south of Japan, and may reach a peak intensity of 195 kph,” it further detailed.
State meteorologists last sighted the super typhoon 1,485 kilometers east northeast of extreme northern Luzon, packing maximum sustained winds of 185 kph and gustiness of up to 230 kph.
Pagasa earlier warned that Hinnamnor may enter PAR on Wednesday night.
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