A new typhoon threatens to directly hit southern Luzon and parts of the Visayas next week.
The weather bureau warned that Tropical Storm “Nonoy” (international name: Melor) could intensify into a typhoon and make landfall over the Bicol region or the Samar provinces on Monday or Tuesday.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the typhoon was expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility from east of Mindanao early Saturday. Its effects will start to be felt Sunday.
The eastern section of southern Luzon and the Visayas will experience moderate to occasionally heavy rains beginning Sunday, as Nonoy barrels towards Eastern Visayas and the Bicol area.
Pagasa warned these areas to brace for possible flash floods and landslides.
“It may make landfall over Samar or Bicol on Monday and Tuesday,” Pagasa forecaster Gener Quitlong said.
“There’s a possibility of it becoming a typhoon. But we don’t see it becoming a supertyphoon,” he added.
Aside from powerful winds, the new typhoon also carries heavy to intense rains near the center, according to Quitlong.
If the typhoon hits the Bicol provinces, it will also likely affect nearby southern Luzon provinces, including Metro Manila.
Nonoy, the 14th typhoon to hit the country this year, developed out of a low pressure area that formed over the Marianas Islands early last week. An average of 19 to 21 typhoons hit the country each year.
From a tropical depression early Friday, it quickly intensified into a tropical storm by Friday afternoon.
READ: Pagasa: LPA nears PAR; landfall in E. Visayas, Bicol possible
As of Friday afternoon, Nonoy packed maximum winds near the center of 65 kilometers per hour and gusts up to 80 kph while still at sea about 1,200 km east of Surigao del Sur.
The storm picked up speed to 25 kph (from 20 kph early Friday) and maintained its west northwestwards track towards the Visayas and southern Luzon.
READ: Tropical depression seen to enter PH this weekend
Pagasa classifies a typhoon as packing maximum winds near the center from 118 to 220 kph.
The strongest typhoon to hit the country this year was Typhoon “Lando” (international name: Koppu) which reached maximum winds of about 185 kph when it slammed into northern and Central Luzon from Oct. 18 to 20.