PAGASA Monitors 4 Weather Systems; Tropical Depression Pilandok May Intensify

MANILA, Philippines — Four weather systems are currently being monitored by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), including Tropical Depression Pilandok, which is forecast to intensify into a tropical storm today. As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Pilandok was located 1,145 kilometers east of extreme northern Luzon, with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 70 kph. The tropical depression has maintained its strength while moving north northwestward at 10 kph and is less likely to make landfall over the country. "Pilandok may become almost stationary over the Philippine Sea east of extreme northern Luzon for the next 36 hours before moving generally north northwestward for the remainder of the forecast period," the state weather bureau stated. It is forecast to intensify into a tropical storm today before it exits the Philippine area of responsibility tomorrow afternoon or evening and heads toward southern Japan. Also being monitored is Tropical Depression Saudel, formerly Obet, which was located 1,075 km west of extreme northern Luzon. It was almost stationary, with winds of 45 kph and gusts of up to 75 kph. Outside the PAR, another tropical depression was also almost stationary, 570 kms west northwest of Itbayat, Batanes. It had maximum sustained winds of 45 kph and gusts of up to 60 kph. The fourth system, a low-pressure area also outside the PAR, was located 3,080 km east of southeastern Luzon. It has a medium chance of developing into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours. Alongside these four weather systems, the southwest monsoon will continue to bring rains over parts of Luzon. Monsoon rains are expected in the Ilocos Region, Abra, and Benguet, while occasional rains are forecast over the rest of the Cordillera Administrative Region, Batanes, Nueva Vizcaya, Bataan, Zambales, Tarlac, Pampanga, and Nueva Ecija. Metro Manila, CALABARZON, the rest of Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Aklan, and Antique will experience cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms. The rest of Luzon, the Negros Island Region, and the rest of Western Visayas will have partly cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms. For the rest of the country, localized thunderstorms will bring partly cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.