Pilandok likely to intensify into tropical storm

MANILA, September 1 ------ Tropical Depression Pilandok is forecast to intensify into a tropical storm in the next 12 hours, the weather bureau said in its 5 a.m. bulletin today.

Pilandok packs maximum sustained winds of 55 km. ph (kph) near the center, and gustiness of up to 70 kph. It was last located 1,050 km. east of extreme Northern Luzon, moving west northwestward at 10 kph. No wind signal is hoisted on any part of the country, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said. However, the southwest monsoon will cause strong to gale-force gusts over most of Luzon and Visayas, Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands, Davao Occidental, and Davao Oriental.

Gale warning is in effect over the northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon. The southwest monsoon will also cause heavy rainfall across Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Batanes, Abra, Benguet, Zambales, and Bataan. Meanwhile, Pilandok is less likely to make landfall over the country and will remain far from landmass, PAGASA said.

Source: pna.gov.ph