Cyclone ‘Luis’ enters PH

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced that a new tropical depression has entered the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).

Tropical depression, named ”Luis,” was spotted 1,050 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes as of 4 a.m. today.

Luis was packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center.

Speaking to dzMM, PAGASA weather forecaster Fernando Cada said Luis “has a high chance of intensifying into a storm or even a typhoon as it remains over the sea.”

He said the tropical depression’s outer cloud bands were already bringing rains to parts of Visayas.

Luis was moving west northwest at 30 kph.

With its current speed and direction, Luis is expected to make landfall sometime on Sunday or Monday.

PAGASA said Luis will be 660 kms east of Infanta, Quezon by Saturday morning; 40 kms north of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan by Sunday morning; and 640 kms west of Itbayat, Batanes by Monday morning.

An estimated rainfall of 7.5 to 15 millimeters per hour (moderate – heavy) is expected within the tropical depression’s 400-km diameter.

Meanwhile, PAGASA added that the Visayas, Mindanao and Bicol regions will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms. Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.

Moderate to occasionally strong winds blowing from the southwest to west will prevail over Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to occasionally rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from southwest to south with slight to moderate seas.