Storm will be felt Thursday–Pagasa

MANILA, Philippines–Provinces in eastern Luzon will start to experience stormy weather on Thursday if an approaching typhoon will keep its current track.

The Bicol region and the provinces of Cagayan, Aurora and Quezon are in the path of the cyclone internationally named “Bavi,” according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

The weather bureau said the cyclone may intensify into a typhoon by the time it enters the Philippine area of responsibility on Tuesday.

As of Sunday, the cyclone was registering maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 100 kph as it blew over the Pacific Ocean at 20 kph.

“There is no data yet that it will become a supertyphoon,” Pagasa weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said.

Pagasa considers a typhoon with sustained winds above 185 kilometers per hour a supertyphoon.

Once it enters Philippine territory, the cyclone will be named “Betty,” the second typhoon to affect the country this year.

“If it continues its westward track, we will start to feel its effects on Thursday,” Aurelio said.

This will be the second cyclone to hit the country this year after Tropical Storm “Amang” (international name: Mekkhala), which came during Pope Francis’ visit from Jan. 15 to 19.–Dona Z. Pazzibugan