Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 22) — Tropical Storm Egay (international name: Doksuri) was forecast to further intensify into a typhoon in the next 24 hours, the state weather bureau said late Saturday.
The tropical cyclone maintained its strength as it slowly moved westward over the waters off Luzon.
In its 11 p.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) also said there is a possibility that Egay could reach super typhoon category by Tuesday or Wednesday.
So far, no storm signals have been raised but PAGASA said these could be hoisted over some areas in the Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas over the weekend.
\”Possible na tayo na magtaas ng wind signals dito sa area ng Bicol region at Eastern Visayas, pinakaamaga na ngayong hapon. At maaaring mas marami pang lugar ang itaas natin ng tropical cyclone wind signals sa mga susunod na araw,\” PAGASA weather specialist Benison Estareja earlier said.
[Translation: It’s possible that we will raise wind signals in the Bicol region and Eastern Visayas on Saturday afternoon at the earliest. And it’s also possible that tropical cyclone wind signals will be hoisted in more areas in the coming days.]
On Saturday, PAGASA said Caraga and Eastern Visayas may experience cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to the trough or extension of the storm.
Western Visayas, Palawan, and Occidental Mindoro will also see cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to the enhanced southwest monsoon or habagat.
Metro Manila and the rest of the country may expect partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to the habagat and localized thunderstorms.
The bureau added that the strengthened habagat may bring strong bursts of winds to the western and southern portions of the Visayas, the northern portions of Northern Mindanao and Caraga, Romblon, and Masbate.
Egay, the fifth tropical cyclone to enter the country’s weather monitoring area, was last spotted 665 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes. It was packing maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph.
According to PAGASA’s track and intensity forecast, Egay is seen to move west-northwest over the weekend then turn to a northwest direction to travel the waters east of northern Luzon starting Monday.
Latest forecast positions available for Egay are 570 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan on Tuesday morning and 275 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes on Wednesday morning.
PAGASA said Egay is forecast to remain at sea but a landfall has not been ruled out.
“The current forecast track indicates that Egay will remain offshore over the Philippine Sea. However, the forecast confidence cone indicates that a landfall scenario over the northern portion of Northern Luzon is not ruled out at this time,” PAGASA noted.
Due to the storm, occasional rains are possible over Western Visayas on Sunday, the agency said.
Gusty conditions will also affect most of Visayas and Mimaropa, and the northern portions of Northern Mindanao and Caraga on Sunday.
PAGASA added that it may raise a gale warning over the eastern seaboards of southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao on Sunday as moderate to rough seas are expected.
