MANILA — A tropical storm spotted outside the Philippine area of responsibility, which was given the international name “Mawar”, may enter the country this week, the weather bureau said on Saturday.
For now, the tropical storm has no direct effects yet on the country with the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) bringing rains in several parts of Mindanao, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) reported.
As of 4 p.m. on Saturday, Pagasa weather specialist Rhea Torres said “Mawar” was spotted 2,525 kilometers east of northeastern Mindanao.
“Mawar” was still a tropical storm early Saturday, but the weather bureau said its movement in the northeastern direction could possibly enhance it into a tropical depression, or even as strong as a supertyphoon.
‘Almost stationary’
Torres said “Mawar” has maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour with gustiness of up to 80 kph. Its movement was “almost stationary,” she added.
“Mawar” can possibly enter the country by either Friday or Saturday and will be given the local name “Betty,” she said.
According to Torres, the ITCZ remains to be the dominant weather condition in the country, bringing cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms in Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and Palawan. (Dempsey Reyes © Philippine Daily Inquirer)
