Sinlaku won’t directly impact PHL

SUPER Typhoon Sinlaku (international name) is not expected to directly affect the Philippines, the state weather bureau said on Monday, though high heat index temperatures are expected in the coming days.

Sinlaku was last located 2,440 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas, packing maximum sustained winds of 215 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 265 kph, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 4 p.m. monitoring.

The super typhoon is moving northward at a speed of 10 kph.

PAGASA said Sinlaku has little to no chance of entering the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), as its trajectory is northward heading near Japan.

“It will have no direct effect on the country because it is far away,” Benison Jay Estareja, PAGASA weather specialist, said in a phone interview in Filipino.

Mr. Estareja added that Sinlaku may slightly increase the chances of localized rain in the eastern section of the country.

However, fair weather and hot temperatures will likely be the prevailing weather conditions in the next few days.

“Our advice is to continue taking protective measures against the high heat index because we may still experience it in the coming days,” Mr. Estareja said, urging the public to stay hydrated and avoid going outdoors during peak hours if possible.

The public is also advised to keep monitoring updates from PAGASA, as the super typhoon is still far from the country and changes in projections remain possible.

Meanwhile, a heat index of above 32°C is expected across the country until Tuesday, except in the Cordillera Administrative Region, PAGASA said in its heat index forecast released on Sunday.

General Santos City and Sangley Point in Cavite City are projected to record the highest heat index on Monday and Tuesday, respectively.

Mr. Estareja said PAGASA is not seeing any other tropical cyclones forming until next week, which is also reflected in its Tropical Cyclone Threat Potential forecast.

Fewer typhoons are expected to form or enter PAR during the dry season, which started in March.

This may be further exacerbated by the impending El Niño phenomenon, which could be declared as early as June. — Edg Adrian A. Eva