Fourth storm enters RP

THE state weather bureau said the low pressure spotted off Catanduanes intensified into a cyclone, bringing heavy rains to some parts of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

Prisco Nilo, director of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said tropical depression “Domeng” will cross Northern Luzon.

Pagasa said that as of 4 p.m. Tuesday, Domeng was spotted at 570 kilometers east northeast of Catanduanes and has maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph).

The new weather disturbance is also moving west northwest at seven kph but no storm signal was raised as of this posting.

Earlier, Pag-asa said that about 13 to 15 tropical storms are expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility this year, with three coming from August alone.

Meantime, the state weather bureau is also monitoring another low pressure area estimated at 950 kilometers east northeast of Basco, Batanes.

On July 13, the overnight onslaught of tropical storm Basyang (international name: Conson) ravaged communities, property and claimed lives.

Last July 21, strong winds and heavy rains due to a low pressure which later became storm ‘Caloy’ triggered flashfloods in Dingalan, Aurora.

The flashfloods also prompted authorities to evacuate 105 families and declare a state of calamity in the area.

Meantime, Pagasa’s 5 p.m. bulletin Tuesday disclosed that Central and Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms.

The rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.

In Metro Manila, Pagasa’s extended weather forecast indicated that cloudy skies with rainshowers and thunderstorms for Wednesday and Thursday, with temperatures ranging from 24 to 31 degrees Celsius.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northwest will prevail over the northern and eastern section of Luzon and the coastal waters along this area will be moderate to rough.

Light to moderate winds blowing from the northwest to west will prevail over the rest of Luzon and Visayas and from the northwest to southwest over Mindanao with slight to moderate seas.