Photo courtesy of DOST-PAGASA / Facebook.
A tropical depression outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility is being monitored and could enter the country’s monitoring zone next week, the state weather bureau said Thursday.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) reported that the weather system was spotted far east of Northeastern Mindanao and was moving slowly westward.
It packed maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour, with gusts reaching up to 70 kph, based on the latest advisory.
Weather officials said the system is expected to enter PAR in the coming days, at which point it will be assigned the local name Caloy.
Initial projections showed a low probability of landfall, as the cyclone is likely to shift northward once inside the monitoring area, although its path remains subject to change.
Authorities also warned that the system could still intensify while over open waters, with a possibility of reaching stronger categories.
Meanwhile, a ridge of a high pressure area continued to affect Northern and Central Luzon, bringing generally fair but hot conditions across much of the country.
Despite this, isolated rain showers or thunderstorms were still expected in parts of the country, particularly in the afternoon or evening, while heat index levels remained elevated and could pose health risks.
