Tropical storm Man-Yi continues to intensify ahead of PAR entry

The tropical storm with international name Man-Yi continued to intensify on Thursday morning before its expected entry to the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Thursday evening, PAGASA said.

In its 11 a.m. advisory, PAGASA said Man-Yi, which will be called Pepito once inside PAR, was packing maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 105 kph.

The tropical storm was last located 1,375 kilometers east of Northeastern Mindanao moving west southwestward at 25 kph.

“MAN-YI may enter the PAR region this evening as ‘PEPITO’,” PAGASA said.

Due to Man-Yi, PAGASA said potentially risky or hazardous sea conditions will be experienced over the eastern seaboard of the country starting late Friday or on Saturday. 

“PEPITO may make landfall over the eastern coast of Southern Luzon during the weekend (16 or 17 November),” it added.

The tropical cyclone could also reach the super typhoon category, according to PAGASA.

“MAN-YI is forecast to intensify into a severe tropical storm today and may reach typhoon category by tomorrow morning. The possibility of rapid intensification is not ruled out,” PAGASA said.

“Since this tropical cyclone may reach typhoon category while over the Philippine Sea, the possibility for MAN-YI to reach super typhoon category prior to landfall is also not ruled out,” it added.

—VAL, GMA Integrated News