A tropical depression entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility before dawn on Thursday off the country’s northern tip, but it is not yet expected to affect any part of the country, the weather bureau said.
The weather disturbance, named Tropical Depression Gener, was reported to be 870 kilometers east-northeast of Basco, Batanes, at 10 a.m. on Thursday.
In its 11 a.m. weather bulletin on Thursday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the weather disturbance is moving west southwest towards Batanes at 20 kilometers per hour.
Gener packs maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 55 kilometers per hour.
It is not expected to affect any part of the country for the next two days but Pagasa said an inter-tropical convergence zone or band of clouds would bring cloudy skies and scattered rains over the Visayas, Mindanao, Bicol and the Southern Tagalog island provinces of Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan (Mimaropa).
Pagasa also said that Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will have localized thunderstorms.