New tropical depression threatens PH as Egay leaves

MANILA, Philippines — Another weather disturbance threatens the country after Typhoon Egay (international name: Doksuri) battered parts of Luzon before leaving the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Thursday morning.

The low-pressure area earlier monitored by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) some 1,800 kilometers east of northeastern Mindanao has now strengthened into a tropical depression – and may even become a typhoon in the coming days, according to state meteorologists.

Based on Pagasa’s 11 a.m. weather bulletin, it was last plotted 1,585 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas.

The tropical depression, which remains outside the PAR as of this posting, was packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) and a gustiness of 70 kph.

Once it enters the PAR this weekend, the tropical cyclone will be named Falcon, marking the sixth to hit the country this year and the third this July, Pagasa said.

The tropical depression may intensify further into a typhoon before barging into the PAR.

Weather satellite image from Pagasa’s website

“On the forecast track, the Tropical Depression may enter the PAR region on late Saturday (29 July) or Sunday morning (30 July),” Pagasa said.

“This tropical cyclone may intensify and reach Typhoon category with a peak intensity of 155 (kph) before entering the PAR region,” it added.

Like Typhoon Egay, state meteorologists said this tropical depression would boost the southwest monsoon, locally known as habagat, which would likely trigger heavy rains in the western sections of Luzon and Visayas this weekend.

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