The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on November 11 that it is monitoring two tropical cyclones outside the Philippine forecast area (PAR), with one of them expected to enter the PAR this week.
PAGASA's storm forecast bulletin at 11:00 a.m. on November 11 said the center of the first tropical cyclone was at about 12.1 degrees north latitude, 139.3 degrees east longitude, 1,480 km east of Eastern Visayas.
Maximum winds near the center of the tropical cyclone are 55 km/h, gusts of 70 km/h, and pressure is 1,002 hPa. The tropical cyclone moves west-northwest at 35 km/h and has a wind radius of 190 km. The cyclone rapidly intensifies from a low pressure area.
The tropical cyclone is expected to move steadily west-northwest, entering PAR on the morning of November 12 and has been named Ofel. Within the PAR region, the tropical cyclone will continue moving west-northwest, possibly making landfall in Northern or Central Luzon late Thursday (November 14) or early Friday (November 15).
The tropical cyclone is forecast to steadily strengthen over the next three days and reach hurricane status on Wednesday (November 13). It could also strike land at or near peak intensity.
While it is too early to determine exactly which areas will be affected by certain hazards, areas in Northern Luzon are at risk of heavy rains, strong winds and possibly flooding due to the storm.
Another tropical storm being monitored by PAGASA is Tropical Storm Man-yi (international name), located 3,555 km east of Central Luzon, at 15.2 degrees north latitude, 154.8 degrees east longitude. The storm is expected to move westward toward the Visayas and Southern Luzon.
The strongest winds near the center of Typhoon Man-yi were 85 km/h near the center of the storm, gusting up to 105 km/h.
Meanwhile, according to the latest storm news from PAGASA, storm Toraji (Nika in the Philippines) made landfall in Disalag, Aurora this morning (November 11).
At 1 p.m. on November 11, the center of the storm was at about 16.7 degrees north latitude; 121.0 degrees east longitude, in the central area of Luzon Island. The strongest wind near the center of the storm was level 12 (118-133 km/h), gusting to level 15. The storm moved west-northwest at a speed of about 20 km/h.
It is forecasted that by 1 p.m. on November 12, the storm will enter the eastern sea area of the northern East Sea with a level 10 intensity, gusting to level 12, becoming the 8th storm in the East Sea this year.
Thousands of villages were ordered to evacuate and ports were closed on Friday as the Philippines braced for Typhoon Toraji, the fourth typhoon in less than a month, officials said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage when Toraji made landfall.
Previously, on November 7, Typhoon Yinxing made landfall on the northern coast of the Philippines, damaging houses and killing at least one person.
Before Typhoon Yinxing (storm No. 7 in the East Sea), severe tropical storm Trami and super typhoon Kong-rey killed 158 people in the Philippines, most of whom were killed by Typhoon Trami.
Each year, an average of about 20 major typhoons and storms strike the Philippines or surrounding waters.
A recent study found that storms in the Asia-Pacific region are increasingly forming closer to the coast, intensifying faster and lasting longer over land due to climate change.
