Weather: New cyclone ‘Kabayan’ enters PHL territory

Mere hours after Tropical Storm Juaning (Nock-Ten) left Philippine territory, a new cyclone entered the Philippine area of responsibility Thursday afternoon and was codenamed Kabayan. Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecaster Jun Galang said Kabayan has intensified into a tropical storm and is likely to stay until August 2. "Masyado pa ito malayo para directly makaapekto sa anumang parte ng bansa (For now it is still too far to directly affect any part of the country)," Galang said in an interview on dzBB radio. Galang said Kabayan entered the Philippine area of responsibility at about 4 p.m. Thursday. Barring any sudden change in direction, Kabayan is not likely to make landfall on the Philippines as it is headed toward Southern Japan, Galang said. He said that while Kabayan may bring rains, the rains falling on parts of the country are from the southwest monsoon enhanced by Juaning, which left 35 people dead, mostly in the Bicol Region, in its two-day onslaught. "Siya pa rin magbibigay ng ulan sa western section ng Luzon (The southwest monsoon enhanced by 'Juaning' will bring rains to the western section of Luzon)," Galang said. PAGASA's 5 p.m. advisory said that as of 4 p.m., Kabayan was estimated at 1,000 km east-southeast of Catarman, Northern Samar. It packed maximum winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph, and was moving northwest at 15 kph. By Friday afternoon it is expected to be 790 km east-northeast of Catarman, Northern Samar. By Saturday afternoon it is expected to be 710 km northeast of Virac, Catanduanes. By Sunday afternoon it is expected to be 800 km east-northeast of Tuguegarao City. No storm warning signals were raised, with PAGASA saying Kabayan is too "far to directly affect any part of the country" for now. — KBK, GMA News