PAGASA: Egay may become a tropical storm in next 12 hours

Tropical Depression Egay may strengthen into a tropical storm in the next 12 hours, state weather bureau PAGASA said Friday.

In its 5 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Egay was last seen 835 kilometers east of Southeastern Luzon at 4 p.m.

It is moving west-northwestward at 20 kilometers per hour (kph) while packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center, gustiness of up to 70 kph, and a central pressure of 1004 hPa.

No storm signal was hoisted over any portion of the country but the weather bureau forecasts heavy rainfall over Catanduanes and Northern Samar accumulating to 50-100 millimeters.

Meanwhile, the enhanced southwest monsoon (habagat) is expected to spur rains over areas that will not be directly impacted by the tropical cyclone including the western sections of Southern Luzon and West Visayas.

Under these conditions, PAGASA warned of rain-induced landslides and flash floods. may occur in the affected areas.

On the forecast track, Egay is seen to track generally west-northwestward until late Sunday before turning northwestward over the Philippine Sea east of Luzon for the remainder of the forecast period.

While the current track forecast shows it will remain offshore over the waters east of Luzon, the forecast confidence cone shows that a landfall scenario over the eastern portion of mainland Cagayan and Batanes is possible.

Egay is expected to continue to steadily intensify while inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility and may reach the super typhoon category by late Monday or early Tuesday as it moves over the Philippine Sea east of Luzon. —NB, GMA Integrated News