Weathermen watch new storm named ‘Vongfong’

MANILA, Philippines—Just as Typhoon “Phanfone”, locally named “Neneng”, exited the Philippine area of responsibility Saturday morning, local weathermen began tracking a new tropical cyclone.

But like Phanfone, which merely passed through the northeastern corner of the Philippine area of responsibility at a distance too far to affect the country, Tropical Storm “Vongfong” is not expected to be felt in the Philippines.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration forecasters said Vongfong could take a track similar to Phanfone’s.

According to weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio the tropical cyclone was somewhere over the Pacific Ocean east of the country, still very far from the Philippine area of responsibility.

He pointed out that Vongfong could follow Phanfone’s west-northwest track and neither make landfall nor directly affect the country.

Aurelio said that the country could expect 5 to 7 cyclones to threaten the Philippines between now and the end of the year.

According to the Hawaii-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center, Vongfong was over 1,000 kilometers east-southeast of Saipan, moving west-northwest at 25 kph.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency Vongfong has sustained winds near the center of about 65 kph with gusts of up to 92 kph. The JMA expected Vongfong to gain strength over the Pacific Ocean.

Typhoon Neneng left the PAR around 5 a.m, Saturday as it headed northwest for southern Japan. It had sustained winds of 175 kph near the center and gusts of up to 210 kph.

According to Pagasa’s forecast for Sunday, the prevailing intertropical convergence zone over Southern Mindanao will bring cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms over the Central Visayas, the Zamboanga Peninsula and Negros Occidental province.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds will prevail over the northern and eastern sections of Luzon where coastal waters will be moderate to rough. Light to moderate winds will prevail over the rest of Luzon and the rest of the country with slight to moderate seas.