Quinta may intensify into tropical storm before making landfall Monday — Pagasa

MANILA, Philippines — The latest weather disturbance for October, Tropical Depression Quinta, is expected to develop into a tropical storm before making landfall over the Bicol Region on Monday.

The first severe weather bulletin issued by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that Quinta packs maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 55 kph.

It was last seen 880 kilometers east of Surigao City in Surigao del Norte, moving slowly on a westward pattern.  Due to its slow movement, Quinta may progress as a tropical storm by Sunday.

Pagasa expects Quinta to move to 715 kilometers east of Catarman by Saturday afternoon, then near Sorsogon by Sunday afternoon.  After making landfall somewhere in the Bicol Region on Monday, it would move to 70 kilometers north of Romblon and eventually exit the Philippine area of responsibility by Wednesday.

No tropical cyclone wind signals are raised as Quinta has yet to affect local weather.  However, gusts will be experienced in Northern Luzon due to northeasterly surface wind flow.

Still, due to the northeasterly surface wind flow, a gale warning remains raised over the northern and western seaboards of Luzon as they may experience rough to very rough seas. This means small boats are not allowed to set sail in these areas as of now.[ac]