Pagasa tracking 2 tropical storms

WITH Tropical Storm Egay (Linfa) still dumping rains in the archipelago, the state weather bureau is tracking two more tropical storms outside the Philippine area of responsibility.

Severe Tropical Storm Chan-hom (international name), was last spotted over the Pacific Ocean, and is expected to enter PAR by Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning, Esperanza Cayanan, weather division chief of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said in a press briefing at Camp Aguinaldo.

Chan-hom, which will be locally named Falcon when it enters the PAR, will pull the southwest monsoon (habagat) and bring rains in Southern Luzon and Visayas. It could still intensify at sea before it enters PAR.

The storm will only pass over the boundary of PAR and will not make landfall, Cayanan said.

She also mentioned that there is a possibility of Tropical Storm Egay (Linfa) to weaken into a low-pressure area or dissipate by Wednesday. It is also forecast to exit PAR by Thursday evening.

Egay has shutdown schools and offices in Metro Manila and nearby provinces due to floods and heavy rains.

The rains are likely to continue until Friday due to Chan-hom and the southwest monsoon, Cayanan said.

Another storm, Nangka (international name), was spotted over the Pacific Ocean, but Cayanan said it was still too far from the country to make projections.

“Si Nangka medyo malayo di pa nabibigyan ng projection kung kelan papasok. Magkakasunod yan e for the month of July to August talagang meron series ng low pressure weather system sa Pilipinas,” she said.