Tropical Depression Hagupit, in the area called Caloy, has retained its strength and is likely to bring rains to three areas in the next 24 hours, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Monday.
In a press conference at 5 PM, PAGASA said Hagupit maintained its strength with sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of 55 kph.
It was last located 470 kilometers east of Guuan, Eastern Samar, moving north at 10 kph.
“This has no direct impact on any part of the country. However, the trough or its expansion will bring cloudy skies with scattered showers, lightning, and thunder,” PAGASA meteorologist Grace Castañeda said in a press conference in Filipino.
The affected areas are Eastern Samar, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Norte, he added.
The Bureau has warned of possible floods or landslides in affected areas due to occasional heavy rains.
Regarding the predicted track of Tropical Depression Hagupit, it is likely to continue moving northwest in the next 12 hours and will remain far from the coast, far from the mainland, Ms. Castañeda said.
It may also weaken into a low pressure area (LPA) during the next 12 to 24 hours and is not expected to have a direct impact on the country during its entire duration.
Meanwhile, another LPA is also being monitored by PAGASA, which has commented that it is “unlikely” to develop into a tropical cyclone.
It is located 1,725 kilometers east of Northeast Mindanao and is not expected to have a direct impact on the country. – Edg Adrian A. Eva
