(Satellite photo from Pagasa)
MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Storm Man-yi, which will be assigned the local name “Pepito,” continues to intensify as it moves near the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) on Thursday said Man-yi was last spotted some 1,375 kilometers (km) east of northeastern Mindanao, still outside the PAR.
It packs maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour (kph) near its center, with gusts of up to 105 kph.
Man-yi is moving southwestward at 25 kph, with strong to gale-force winds extending outwards up to 380 km from the tropical storm’s center.
It is expected to enter the PAR on Thursday evening.
“Kung titingnan natin ang forecast track, posibleng mag-landfall ito either dito sa may northern part of Eastern Visayas or dito sa Bicol region sa darating na Sabado ng gabi hanggang sa Linggo ng umaga,” Pagasa Assistant Weather Services Chief Chris Perez said in a briefing.
(If we look at the forecast track, it is possible that Man-yi might make landfall either in the northern part of Eastern Visayas or in the Bicol region from Saturday night until Sunday morning.)
However, Perez emphasized that Man-yi’s track may still shift within the limit of the forecast confidence cone.
“Pwede pang mabago ‘yung sitwasyon. Makikita natin ‘yung area of probability na nagpapakita ng mga potential pang lugar na pwedeng maging actual na tamaan ng sentro ng bagyong potential na Pepito within the forecast period,” he explained.
(The situation can still change. We can see the area of probability showing potential locations that the center of the possible storm Pepito might actually hit within the forecast period.)
“The landfall point may also shift within the range of the forecast confidence cone, from the eastern coast of Central Luzon to the eastern coast of Eastern Visayas,” he added in Filipino.
READ: New storm forecast to enter PAR Thursday to be named Pepito