Tropical storm Bising to enter Phl tomorrow

A tropical storm (international name Surigae) spotted off Mindanao is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility tomorrow.

Surigae will be locally named Bising once it enters the country’s area of responsibility, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

“Based on the latest data, it will recurve and will not hit landmass. Its closest distance to landmass is on Sunday, more or less 500 kilometers east of Sorsogon,” PAGASA administrator Vicente Malano told a press conference.

As of 3 p.m., the center of the storm was located 1,165 kilometers east of Mindanao. It packed winds of 75 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph and was moving northwest at 10 kph.

PAGASA weather specialist Ariel Rojas said Surigae slightly intensified and was moving slowly over the Philippine Sea.

“In the next 24 hours, it will continue to move slowly over the sea and possibly intensify into a severe tropical storm in the next 24 hours,” Rojas said.

Surigae is expected to develop into a typhoon tomorrow.

Rojas said the cyclone’s outer rainband could bring light to moderate rains over the eastern portions of Southern Luzon and the Visayas this weekend.

“Catanduanes and the northeastern part of Samar Island are within the cyclone’s cone of probability. It is possible that these areas will experience potentially significant impact this weekend until Monday,” he said.