According to storm and low pressure news from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), tropical depression Pilandok is maintaining its intensity as it moves over the Philippine Sea, about 1,050km east of the northern tip of Luzon.
The Pilandok low pressure center was determined at 4:00 AM on September 1 (Philippines time) at 22 degrees North latitude and 131.9 degrees East longitude. The system has the strongest wind force of 55 km/h near the center, gusting up to 70 km/h, central pressure of 1,000hPa.
Pilandok is moving west-northwest at a speed of about 10 km/h. The area with strong winds extends to 580km from the center.
Currently, the Philippines has not issued any tropical cyclone warnings related to Pilandok. PAGASA assesses that the system is still quite far from the mainland and is unlikely to make landfall in the Philippines.
According to the latest forecast, Pilandok will slowly turn east-northeast and then northward in the next 24 hours. After that, the system will move mainly west-northwest for the rest of the forecast period.
Pilandok is forecast to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on the evening of September 2 or early morning of September 3. PAGASA notes that the system's path may still change.
Depression Pilandok is forecast to strengthen into a tropical storm within the next 12 hours. After strengthening, the system may maintain tropical storm level and move south of Japan.
Although Pilandok is unlikely to directly affect the Philippines, PAGASA warns people not to be subjective about dangerous weather patterns caused by the southwest monsoon.
From September 1 to 3, the southwest monsoon may cause strong winds near the storm level in most of Luzon and Visayas, and some other areas of the Philippines.
Conditions at sea are also particularly dangerous. Waves can reach up to 5m high in the waters west of the Babuyan Islands and the Ilocos Norte waters. In some other areas, waves can reach 4.5m high.
PAGASA warned that moving at sea is very dangerous for all types of ships in high-wave areas, and requested operating ships to find safe shelter as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Typhoon Saudel, after weakening into a tropical depression, has strengthened back into a tropical storm and is currently being monitored outside PAR. Another tropical depression, previously designated LPA 08l, still maintains tropical depression intensity.
In addition, the low pressure area LPA 08m is also being monitored by PAGASA outside PAR and is likely to develop into a tropical depression in the next 24 hours.
PAGASA recommends that people continue to follow new news reports, especially in areas at risk of heavy rain, strong winds, floods, flash floods and landslides.
