TROPICAL depression “Egay” maintained its strength while accelerating west-northwestward over the Philippine Sea on Friday and is forecast to intensify into a tropical storm, the state weather bureau said.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said “Egay” is forecast to track in that direction until late Sunday before turning northwestward over the Philippine Sea east of Luzon for the remainder of its forecast period.
As of yesterday, the center of “Egay” was estimated at 835 kilometers east of Southeastern Luzon.
It was moving west-northwestward at 20 km/h, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 70 km/h.
“While the current track forecast shows that Egay will remain offshore over the waters east of Luzon, the forecast confidence cone shows that a landfall scenario over the eastern portion of mainland Cagayan and Batanes is not ruled out,” its bulletin read.
“Throughout its duration in the Philippine area of responsibility region, it may continue to steadily intensify and reach super typhoon category by late Monday or early Tuesday as it moves over the Philippine Sea east of Luzon,” it added.
In areas that will not be directly affected by the tropical depression, monsoon rains from the enhanced southwest monsoon are
possible over the western section of MIMAROPA and the Visayas on Sunday.
Between July 24 and July 5, monsoon rains are likely over the western section of Southern Luzon and Western Visayas.