The low-pressure area (LPA) inside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) has developed into a tropical depression (TD) named Neneng, the state weather bureau said Tuesday afternoon.
In an advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that as of 2 p.m., Neneng was located 1,035 kilometers (km) east of Extreme Northern Luzon.
Neneng has maximum sustained winds of 45 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 55 km per hour while moving northwestward at 20 km per hour.
Pagasa weather specialist Benison Estareja said Neneng will not directly affect the country, although it is expected to draw in the southwest monsoon, or habagat, bringing occasional heavy rains over the country in the next few days.
‘Based on the latest satellite animation, the said typhoon does not yet have a direct impact. However, expect it to gradually draw in the southwest monsoon, which will bring occasional heavy rains over the next two days as Typhoon Neneng traverses the northern Philippine Sea,’ Estareja said in Pagasa’s 5 p.m. weather advisory.
According to Pagasa, Neneng is expected to cross the northern Philippine Sea and make landfall on or closely approach the Ryukyu Islands and northern Taiwan on Thursday before weakening into an LPA.
Estareja said Neneng’s outer rain bands may graze Batanes and the Babuyan Islands, bringing gusty winds and occasional rains.
‘The Batanes and Babuyan group of islands could be grazed by the outer rain bands, bringing gusty winds and occasional heavy rains,’ he added.
Pagasa is also monitoring an LPA inside the PAR and another TD outside the PAR.
The LPA inside the PAR, located 450 km west of Calayan, Cagayan, has a high chance of developing into a TD within the next 24 hours.
The TD outside the PAR was estimated at 3,160 km east of Northeastern Mindanao, with maximum sustained winds of 45 km per hour and gustiness of up to 55 km per hour. Pagasa said the system was almost stationary.
The weather bureau earlier said the two LPAs may draw in the southwest monsoon, bringing rains over the western sections of the country until Friday, Aug. 21.