Strong storm headed PH way–Pagasa

A POTENTIAL super-typhoon is churning toward the Philippines and is expected to bring wet and windy weather to a large portion of the country beginning Tuesday, the weather bureau said on Sunday.

The tropical storm called Songda, which formed near Guam last week, was continuing its approach toward the eastern seaboard yesterday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.

The storm, according to Pagasa’s advisory, would have entered the country’s area of responsibility late last night or early today and would be renamed “Chedeng.”

It will be the third tropical cyclone of the year and the second this month after Tropical Storm “Bebeng.”

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Songda was logged at 1,050 km east of northern Mindanao with maximum sustained winds of 85 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 100 kph. It is forecast to move west-northwest at 11 kph.

Pagasa said it was closely monitoring the storm as it was growing stronger and could be destructive.

Robert Sawi, Pagasa’s chief forecaster, said the storm could intensify into a typhoon in the next few days with winds over 100 kph.

Sawi said he was worried about the storm’s sluggish approach to land, noting that this was giving it more time to consolidate and gather strength.

Sawi also feared that if it did not accelerate when it neared the country, the regions in its path would suffer longer and heavier downpours.
Slow like Bebeng

Storm Bebeng was like that, he said. “It was slow, too, and the provinces that were affected by it suffered heavy rains,” he said.

According to Pagasa, the storm could hit eastern Visayas or veer north to Cagayan province on Tuesday.

Pagasa said northeast and central Luzon would be in the path of the storm. It could make landfall somewhere in that area, Sawi said.

Other parts of the country would also experience heavy rains brought by the potential typhoon.

Metro Manila and the western seaboard will likely experience rainshowers and thunderstorms by Wednesday or Thursday, although these areas may not be hit, Sawi said.

He added that the storm could suck in and enhance the southwest monsoon, which has been bringing sudden rains and thunderstorms to the metropolis and surrounding provinces in the past few days.