Manila: Tropical Depression Pilandok is anticipated to intensify into a tropical storm within the next 12 hours, as reported by the weather bureau in its 5 a.m. bulletin on Tuesday. Currently, Pilandok carries maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near its center, with gustiness reaching up to 70 kph. The system was last observed 1,050 kilometers east of extreme Northern Luzon, moving in a west-northwesterly direction at 10 kph.
According to Philippines News Agency, there are no wind signals raised for any part of the country. However, the southwest monsoon is predicted to bring strong to gale-force gusts across most of Luzon and Visayas, including regions such as Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands, Davao Occidental, and Davao Oriental. A gale warning has been issued for the northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon.
The southwest monsoon is also expected to result in heavy rainfall across several areas, including Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Batanes, Abra, Benguet, Zambales, and Bataan. Despite these developments, PAGASA has indicated that Pilandok is unlikely to make landfall in the country and will remain distant from any landmass.
