'Karding' intensifies, on track to West PH Sea

By Arlie O. Calalo, Manila Times

TROPICAL Storm "Karding" has slightly intensified while it continues tracking over the West Philippine Sea, the state-run weather agency said on Friday.

Senior weather specialist Raymond Ordinario of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Karding is moving westward at 15 kilometers per hour (kph) with maximum sustained winds of 75 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph.

It was estimated some 970 km east of Northern Luzon while gradually accelerating toward the east coast or Aurora, Ordinario said.

Pagasa said tropical cyclone wind signals may be hoisted as early as Friday night over the eastern portions of Northern and Central Luzon, he said.

"Per latest track and intensity forecast, the most likely highest wind signal that will be hoisted is Signal No. 3," the Pagasa weatherman added.

He said Karding is likely to make landfall on Sunday morning or afternoon as a severe tropical storm.

"After crossing the mountainous terrain of Northern Luzon throughout Sunday, the tropical cyclone will continue tracking over the West Philippine Sea," the Pagasa forecaster said.

Due to the southwest monsoon locally known as "habagat" partly influenced by the tropical storm, occasional rains are also possible beginning Sunday over most of Southern Luzon including Metro Manila and Visayas, especially over their western sections.

Over the next 24 hours, Pagasa said the trough of Karding and habagat will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Visayas, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Bicol Region, Zambales and Bataan.

On one hand, Metro Manila and the rest of the country might have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to the localized thunderstorms.