A new tropical depression may enter the Philippines on Monday, just days after tropical storm Odette caused widespread flooding in Luzon, state weather bureau PAGASA said.
“Paolo” was spotted 1,055 kilometers east of Mindanao at 3 a.m., packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour and gusts of 65 kph, said PAGASA meteorologist Shiela Reyes.
It will be the 16th storm to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility this year. Reyes said it would be inside PAR within the day.
The tropical depression has no direct effect yet on the country, Reyes said.
According to separate models by the US Navy’s Joint Typhoon Warning Center and the Japan Meteorological Agency, the storm was unlikely to hit land.
In the meantime, an intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) or band of clouds will dump light to moderate rains over Mindanao, Western Visayas and Palawan, said Reyes.
Fair weather except for isolated thunderstorms meanwhile were seen in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon and Visayas.
Last week, Odette brought heavy rains in northern Luzon, swamping several villages and forcing the cancellation of classes in some areas.
