Cyclone outside PAR now tropical storm; rains seen in parts of PH

MANILA, Philippines — The tropical cyclone outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) has developed into a tropical storm, with its trough bringing rains over portions of Visayas and Mindanao on Saturday, the state weather bureau said.

In the 5 a.m. forecast of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), weather specialist Veronica Torres said that tropical storm Mekkhala (international name) was last located 1,665 kilometers east of Southeastern Luzon as of 3 a.m.

It is forecast to enter the PAR on late Saturday or Sunday, and will be called Francisco once inside the country.

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READ: Tropical depression outside PAR may become a storm late Friday

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Mekkhala was also packing a maximum wind speed of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 90 kph. It was moving west-northwestward at 25 kph.

Torres also said that the tropical storm will continue to intensify and may reach the typhoon category by Sunday. It added that the hoisting of Wind Signal No. 1 over eastern sections of Northern Luzon is not ruled out “due to its possible close proximity to land on Tuesday (23 June) and Wednesday (24 June) and the possible changes in the track forecast in the succeeding bulletins.”

Further, Torres said that while Mekkhala is not yet directly affecting the country, the east of Eastern Visayas and Mindanao will experience rains due to its trough.

“For Visayas and Mindanao, expect that the trough outside the PAR will bring rains over Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Norte,” Torres said.

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Torres added that the rest of Visayas, Mindanao, and even Metro Manila, and the rest of Luzon may see partly cloudy to cloudy skies with chances of localized thunderstorms.

She also said that no gale warning is raised in any seaboards of the country.

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Temperature forecast of the following areas:

Metro Manila: 27°C to 33°C

Laoag, Ilocos Norte: 24°C to 32°C

Baguio: 18°C to 26°C

Tagaytay: 24°C to 32°C

Tuguegarao: 27°C to 37°C

Legazpi: 26°C to 34°C

Kalayaan Islands: 26°C to 33°C

Puerto Princesa: 26°C to 32°C

Iloilo: 25°C to 33°C

Cebu: 27°C to 33°C

Tacloban: 26°C to 33°C

Cagayan de Oro: 24°C to 32°C

Davao: 25°C to 33°C

Zamboanga: 25°C to 32°C /mr

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