TYPHOON “Kong-rey” has further intensified prior to its entry into the Philippine Area of Responsibility yesterday.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration estimated the location of Kong-rey at 1,515 kilometers east of Central Luzon or still outside the PAR yesterday morning.
Kong-rey intensified, now with 140 kilometers per hour maximum sustained winds and gusts of up to 180 kph from 130 kph maximum sustained winds and gustiness of up to 160 kph early yesterday morning.
It is moving slower at 15 kph from an initial speed of 45 kph west-northwest and will be inside the PAR yesterday afternoon.
PAGASA weather specialist Ariel Rojas said the tropical cyclone will be called “Queenie” once inside the PAR.
With two to three tropical cyclones expected in October, Rojas said Queenie will be the first to enter this month.
Although tropical cyclones formed in October are mostly landfalling or crossing the landmass of Luzon, Rojas said the potential cyclone Queenie is not expected to hit any part of the country as it may follow the same track as typhoon “Paeng” (international name “Trami”).
Paeng, which was a powerful typhoon, brought heavy rains and caused travel disruption in the southern part of Japan Sunday.
Rojas said the trough or extension of Kong-rey will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Bicol and Eastern Visayas.
Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to localized thunderstorms.
PAGASA advised the public to remain on alert for possible flashfloods or landslides due to severe thunderstorms.
Kong-rey will likely move outside the PAR by weekend. (Ellalyn V. Ruiz)
