AT A GLANCE
- The storm, with an international name Mawar, was last spotted 2,520 kilometers east of northeastern Mindanao around 3 a.m., Sunday, May 21.
- It will be locally named “Betty” once inside PAR.
- The strengthening of the southwesterly winds caused by the storm could lead to the start of the rainy season in the country this weekend.
The tropical storm over the Pacific Ocean may enter the country’s area of responsibility (PAR) by Friday or Saturday, May 26 or 27, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
In its public weather forecast on Sunday, May 21, PAGASA weather specialist Patrick Del Mundo said the storm, with an international name Mawar, was last spotted 2,520 kilometers east of northeastern Mindanao around 3 a.m.
It will be locally named “Betty” once inside PAR, Del Mundo said.
As of Sunday, Mawar has maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 105 kph, and may reach the severe tropical storm category within 24 hours.
Del Mundo said the storm has no direct effect on the Philippines yet, but it is pulling winds from the southwest or the southwesterly surface wind flow, resulting in partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms over parts of the country.
“Although it will enter PAR, there is still a low chance of it making landfall in any part of the country. But it still continues to pull the southwesterly surface wind flow that may affect the western part of the country, particularly Palawan, Western Visayas, and Zamboanga Peninsula later this week. These areas may experience rains caused by the southwesterly surface wind flow and the ITCZ,” he said in Filipino.
Del Mundo pointed out that the strengthening of the southwesterly winds caused by the storm could lead to the start of the rainy season in the country this weekend.
