Photo courtesy of Pagasa
Tropical Depression Pilandok could briefly reach tropical storm strength on Tuesday as it intensifies far east of Extreme Northern Luzon, PAGASA said Monday.
Despite the possible strengthening, the weather bureau said Pilandok remained unlikely to make landfall and was expected to stay far from the Philippine landmass.
Pilandok was packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 70 kph, stronger than the 45 kph sustained winds and 55 kph gusts reported previously.
Its center was estimated 1,130 kilometers east of Extreme Northern Luzon early Monday, with the cyclone nearly stationary.
Pagasa expects Pilandok to eventually track generally north-northwest before leaving the Philippine area of responsibility by Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning. It may weaken back into a tropical depression by Wednesday.
Weather activity was also increasing outside PAR, where two other disturbances had developed into tropical depressions. One was spotted 480 kilometers west-northwest of Itbayat, Batanes, moving north-northwest at 15 kph.
Saudel, formerly Obet, also regained tropical depression status. Located 1,190 kilometers west of Extreme Northern Luzon, it had maximum sustained winds of 45 kph, gusts of 55 kph and was moving southward at 15 kph.
Farther east, another low-pressure area was being monitored about 3,115 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas. PAGASA gave the disturbance a medium chance of becoming a tropical depression within 24 hours.
