PAGASA: Approaching cyclone not likely to make landfall

An approaching tropical cyclone may enter Philippine territory Sunday afternoon or early evening but is not likely to directly affect any part of the country, state weather forecasters said Sunday. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the cyclone, to be locally codenamed "Onyok" upon entering the Philippines, is also not likely to make landfall. "Yung tropical depression ay inaasahang papasok within 24 hours o mamayang hapon o early this evening," PAGASA forecaster Connie Dadivas said in an interview on dzBB radio. She also said the tropical depression is still relatively weak and is likely to head towards Taiwan. The most it can do is enhance the southwest monsoon that will bring rain to parts of the country, she said. "Malapit na ito sa Taiwan na malapit naman sa Philippine area of responsibility line. Hindi natin inaasahan magla-landfall sa Pilipinas pero makakaapekto sa atin ang ulan na posibleng i-enhance nito," she said. In the meantime, Dadivas said the inter-tropical convergence zone will bring rain over parts of Luzon and may trigger flash floods over parts of Central Luzon. Meanwhile, PAGASA said "The western section of the country will experience cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms becoming widespread rains over Mindoro and the Western sections of Northern and Central Luzon which may trigger flashfloods and landslides," it said. It said the eastern section of Luzon will have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms. The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, it added. — LBG, GMA News