By MANILA, Philippines — The tropical cyclone outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) has developed into a tropical storm, with its trough bringing rains over portions of Visayas and Mindanao on Saturday, the state weather bureau said.
In the 5 a.m. forecast of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), weather specialist Veronica Torres said that tropical storm Mekkhala (international name) was last located 1,665 kilometers east of Southeastern Luzon as of 3 a.m.
Torres also said that the tropical storm will continue to intensify and may reach the typhoon category by Sunday. It added that the hoisting of Wind Signal No. 1 over eastern sections of Northern Luzon is not ruled out “due to its possible close proximity to land on Tuesday (23 June) and Wednesday (24 June) and the possible changes in the track forecast in the succeeding bulletins.”
