New storm enters Philippines but poses no threat–Pagasa

A new tropical depression hovering over the Pacific Ocean was forecast to enter the Philippine area of responsibility on Sunday night, but posed no immediate threat, the weather bureau said Sunday.

As of 2 p.m. Sunday, the tropical depression was spotted 1,340 kilometers east of extreme northern Luzon and was moving closer to the Philippines at 20 kilometers per hour, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.

The depression (to be named “Onyok”) was forecast to swirl in at around 11 p.m. Sunday, and move across the country until Thursday, said Supervising Undersecretary Graciano Yumul of Pagasa.

“If there is no change, it stays until Thursday. North and Central Luzon will be affected, and the habagat (southwest monsoon) will be enhanced,” he said.

Forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said:  “When it draws close to the archipelago, only then will we know if it has any effect. If at all, it will have an indirect effect by enhancing the southwest monsoon.”

Based on its current track, the depression was moving west northwest toward Taiwan, and would not hit any part of the archipelago, Aurelio said.

The depression is the second weather disturbance to cross the country this month after storm “Nonoy” which exited as quickly as it had entered last Friday.

A trough, a combination of southwest monsoon and low pressure area, is hovering over Central and northern Luzon, and is forecast to bring rain showers over these areas, Aurelio said.

Metro Manila will be partly cloudy, he said.