Another tropical cyclone is to join Typhoon Ofel within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday evening, the state weather bureau announced on Wednesday.
The international name for the tropical storm is Man-Yi, but it will be called Pepito locally, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
Its center was sighted 1,705 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas and carries strong winds, Angelo Palmones reported on Magandang Umaga Pilipinas. The tropical storm was forecast at 11:30 PM on Wednesday to advance south-westward over the next 12 hours, because of a high pressure area south of Japan. It is currently moving west south-westward at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour (kph).
“On the track forecast, PEPITO may make landfall over the eastern coast of Southern Luzon during the weekend (16 or 17 November),” reads PAGASA’s third advisory.
The tropical storm is foreseen to intensify into a severe tropical storm on Thursday afternoon or evening, and may develop into a typhoon by either Thursday evening or early Friday morning.
“Since this tropical cyclone may reach typhoon category while over the Philippine Sea, the possibility for MAN-YI to reach super typhoon category prior to landfall is also not ruled out,” PAGASA stated. “Regardless, MAN-YI may make landfall at peak intensity.”
While it is still too early to identify precisely which specific areas will be impacted by certain hazards and as Man-Yi’s path may shift, it is expected that many areas in Luzon may experience heavy rainfall and powerful winds. A storm surge inundation due to Man-Yi is also possible.
