Brewing storm ‘Paolo’ threatens Philippines

The state weather bureau on Monday said it is tracking a new tropical cyclone near the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).

Weather forecaster Gener Quitlong said the tropical depression was not having any direct effect on the country as of posting time Monday morning. If the tropical depression continues its track, it will enter PAR within the day, he added.

The weather disturbance, which will be locally named “Paolo” when it enters PAR, was last spotted 1,055 kilometers east of Mindanao. It blew winds of 55 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 65 kph.

It moved 15 kilometers per hour west northwest.

Quitlong said the tropical depression could also intensify into a tropical storm within the day.

Mindanao, Western Visayas and Palawan will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rain and thunderstorms due to the intertropical convergence zone, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies apart from isolated rains mostly in the afternoon or evening. /cbb