Weather: Approaching typhoon may spare PHL, says PAGASA

A cyclone approaching Philippine territory intensified into a typhoon but state weather forecasters on Thursday said it may spare the country and head for Japan. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) also said the typhoon (international code name Ma-on) may enhance the southwest monsoon. "Maaaring hanggang borderline ng Philippine Area of Responsibility ang daan ng bagyo. Ang tingin namin baka mag-merge ito sa mino-monitor nating low-pressure area. Lalapit ito sa bansa sa Linggo pero hanggang border lang at maaaring tutungo ito ng southern Japan," PAGASA forecaster Gener Quitlong said in an interview on dZBB radio. Should it merge with the LPA off Luzon, Quitlong said the typhoon is likely to enhance the southwest monsoon and bring rains to parts of Luzon. If the typhoon enters Philippine territory, it will be codenamed "Hanna." PAGASA's 5 a.m. bulletin indicated the LPA inside Philippine territory was estimated at 1,030 km east of Central Luzon as of 2 a.m. It added the southwest monsoon continues to affect northern Luzon. "Northern Luzon and Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over the western section of Northern Luzon which may trigger flashfloods and landslides," it said. — LBG, GMA News