‘Chedeng’ intensifies

Cyclone Chedeng became a tropical storm yesterday but remains “unlikely to directly bring heavy rainfall” to the country in the next three to five days, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

In the PAGASA’S 5 a.m. bulletin, Chedeng was last spotted 1,060 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon, packing maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts up to 90 kph.

It was moving west-northwestward at 10 kph.

“Owing to favorable environmental conditions, Chedeng is forecast to intensify in the next three to four days and may be upgraded to a severe tropical storm category tonight or tomorrow and into a typhoon on Thursday,” PAGASA said.

The storm may remain far from the country’s landmass, but the public is advised to continue monitoring PAGASA’S updates on the potential enhancement of the southwest monsoon.

“Although the current forecast scenario for this tropical cyclone may result in the enhancement of the southwest monsoon (habagat), the timing and intensity of monsoon rains over the country, especially in the western portion may still change due to the dependence of monsoon enhancement on the forecast movement and intensity of Chedeng and its interaction with the other weather systems surrounding it,” PAGASA said.

In the next 24 hours, the habagat may bring cloudy skies, rain showers, and thunderstorms over Palawan.