Tropical depression to enter PAR on Tuesday, will be called Ofel —PAGASA

The low pressure area (LPA) outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) developed into a tropical depression, state weather bureau PAGASA said on Monday.

In its 5 a.m. advisory, PAGASA said the tropical depression may enter PAR on Tuesday and will be named “Ofel.”

The tropical depression was located 1,620 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas with maximum sustained winds of 45 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 55 kph.

It was moving west northwestward at kph.

“The TD may make landfall over Northern or Central Luzon on Thursday (14 November) evening or Friday (15 November) early morning,” PAGASA said.

“The TD is forecast to intensify into a severe tropical storm within the next 48 hours and may reach its peak intensity as a severe storm prior to landfall. However, the possibility of reaching typhoon category is not ruled out,” it added.

PAGASA is now monitoring four tropical cyclones inside and outside PAR.  

In its 4 a.m. update, PAGASA said these include the tropical depression that will be named Ofel, Severe Tropical Storm Yinxing (formerly Marce), Typhoon Nika (international name: Toraji), and Tropical Storm Man-Yi.

Inside PAR, Nika was located at 2 a.m. at 135 kilometers southeast of Casiguran, Aurora with maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 150 kph moving west northwestward at 20 km/h.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 4 was raised on Monday morning over six areas in Luzon as Nika intensified into a typhoon while over the sea east of Aurora, PAGASA said.

Outside PAR, Yinxing was located 870 km west of Northern Luzon with maximum sustained winds of 110 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 135 kph moving southwestward at 15 kph.

Inside the monitoring domain of PAGASA, meanwhile, Man-Yi was located 3,575 km east of Central Luzon with maximum sustained winds of 85 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 105 kph moving westward slowly. —Joviland Rita/KG, GMA Integrated News