Tropical depression ‘Julian’ hovers Cagayan but far from landmass–Pagasa

A low pressure area (LPA) that was spotted in Cagayan is now a tropical depression and was named “Julian”, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Friday.

Julian was spotted at 10 a.m., 975 kilometers (kms) east of Tuguegarao City, with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of 70kph as it moves westward at 15kph, weather specialist Ariel Roxas, said in an 11 a.m. bulletin.

As it slowly moves toward the Philippine Sea, the tropical depression is likely to become a severe tropical storm by Sunday, he said.

Although Julian hovers over Cagayan, it is far from the Philippine landmass, the state-run weather agency said.

Pagasa said there was no need to raise tropical cyclone wind signals as it was less likely to directly impact the country.

By Sunday, Julian will become a typhoon as it moves 860kms east of Aparri, Cagayan. It is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Monday night.

“Habagat” (southwest monsoon) continues to affect most parts of the country, including Metro Manila, the Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas.

Source: TheManila Times