Tropical storm slightly intensifies

TROPICAL storm “Surigae” has slightly intensified but almost stationary.

It is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Wednesday.

Surigae is estimated at 1,205 kilometers east of Mindanao and has maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 90kph.

In a virtual press briefing past 12 noon, Pagasa Administrator Vicente Malano said it may intensify into a severe tropical storm in the next 24 hours and may reach typhoon category by Friday.

Domestic name “Bising” will be assigned to this tropical cyclone once inside the PAR, Malano said.

Based on the forecast track, Surigae is moving generally north-northwestward or northward while slightly slowing down today until tomorrow morning then turning west-northwestward and gradually accelerating, the state-run weather agency said.

Malano said it remains less likely to affect the country over the next three days but public and disaster risk reduction and management offices, especially those situated over eastern portions of Southern Luzon and Visayas were advised to continuously monitor for updates.

He said further that Surigae is not expected to make any landfall although the nearest to be affected is 500 kilometers east of Sorsogon by Sunday.

“Considering the uncertainty in the track forecast of this storm, a westward shift in the current forecast track may result in potentially significant impacts over the aforementioned areas over the weekend and until Monday,” the Pagasa administrator said.

International name “Surigae” was contributed by Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) which means a kind of eagle, Pagasa said.