Tropical Storm Jangmi may intensify into a typhoon on Saturday — PAGASA

Tropical Storm Jangmi (international name) is projected to intensify into a typhoon by Saturday and is expected to bring thunderstorms over parts of Mindanao within the next 24 hours, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Thursday.

The storm is then expected to reach its peak intensity between Saturday and Sunday while remaining offshore over the Philippine Sea, PAGASA said in its 11 a.m. tropical cyclone advisory. Afterwards, it is expected to steadily weaken.

Jangmi slightly moved closer to the country and was located 1,135 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas, moving north northwestward at 30 kilometers per hour (kph), based on the advisory.

It maintained its strength of 65-kph maximum sustained winds and gustiness of up to 80 kph.

As for its forecast track, PAGASA said it will enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Thursday evening or Friday and will be locally named “Domeng,” the country’s fourth tropical cyclone this year.

However, it is still “less likely” to make landfall over the country due to its expected northwestward to northward movement offshore.

It is expected to exit PAR on Monday.

PAGASA said the hoisting of tropical cyclone wind signals is also becoming less likely due to the storm’s eastward shift in movement, but it has not been ruled out.

Although no direct effect is expected, Jangmi’s trough or extension is still expected to bring rains and thunderstorms over large parts of Mindanao within the next 24 hours, PAGASA said in its 4 a.m. daily weather advisory.

It is also expected to enhance the southwesterly windflow, a weather system that indicates the onset of the southwest monsoon, which has been bringing rains over parts of Visayas and Mindanao in the past few days.

The hoisting of gale warnings over the seaboards of Extreme Northern Luzon is also expected this weekend amid moderate to rough sea conditions due to the storm.

PAGASA urged the public to stay updated on the latest developments regarding Tropical Storm Jangmi. — Edg Adrian A. Eva