On November 11, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said it was monitoring two tropical cyclones outside the Philippine Forecast Area (PAR), one of which is expected to enter the PAR this week.
PAGASA's 11am storm forecast bulletin on November 11 said that 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, gusting to 70 km/h, and the pressure is 1,002 hPa. The tropical cyclone is moving west-northwest at 35 km/h with a wind radius of 190 km. The cyclone rapidly intensified from a low pressure area.
The tropical cyclone is expected to move west-northwest, entering PAR on the morning of November 12 and is named Ofel. In 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 intensify steadily over the next three days and reach typhoon level on Wednesday (13.11). It can also attack land at or near maximum intensity.
Although it is too early to pinpoint areas affected by certain hazards, areas in Northern Luzon are at risk of heavy rain, strong winds and possible flooding due to storms.
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.
Maximum winds near the center of Typhoon Man-yi are 85 km/h near the center, gusting up to 105 km/h.
Meanwhile, according to the latest storm news from PAGASA, Typhoon Toraji (Nika according to the Philippines) made landfall in disalag, Aurora this morning (November 11).
At 1:00 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 Luzon Island area. The strongest wind near the storm center is level 12 (118-133 km/h), gusting to level 15. The storm is moving west-northwest at a speed of about 20 km/h.
It is forecasted that by 1:00 p.m. on November 12, the storm will enter the eastern sea area of the northern East Sea with an intensity of level 10, 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 November 11 as the Philippines faced Typhoon Toraji, the fourth typhoon in less than a month, Philippine authorities said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage as Typhoon Toraji made landfall.
Earlier, on November 7, Typhoon Yinxing made landfall on the northern coast of the Philippines, damaging homes 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.
An average of 20 major storms and typhoons hit the Philippines or surrounding waters each year.
A recent study shows 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.
