'Karen' accelerates, continues to move to east Philippine sea

MANILA (Updated) -- Tropical Storm "Karen" maintained its strength and slightly accelerated Tuesday night while moving over the East Philippine Sea, the state weather bureau said.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Karen was spotted 740 kilometers (km) east of Borongan, Eastern Samar as of 10 p.m. Tuesday.

With maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph, Karen is moving north at 15 kph.

Karen is forecasted to be at 1,080 km east of Infanta, Quezon Wednesday evening and at 910 km east of Aparri, Cagayan by Thursday evening.

Track of Tropical Storm "Karen" as of 8 p.m. Tuesday (Source: http://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph)

No public storm warning signal has been raised but "Karen" will bring occasional moderate to heavy rains over Ilocos Region, Palawan, Eastern Visayas and Caraga region. Residents in these areas are warned against possible flashfloods and landslides.

Metro Manila will be mostly cloudy with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms while the rest of the country will have scattered light to moderate rains.

Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into the eastern seaboard of Visayas and Mindanao.

Meanwhile, Pagasa said the weather disturbance spotted in the Philippine sea has developed into a shallow low pressure area (SLPA) but will not directly affect the country.

The SLPA, spotted at 240 km west of Zambales, has small chance to become tropical cyclone, the Pagasa said.

Once the weather disturbance becomes a tropical cyclone, it will be named “Lawin," the 12th cyclone to enter the country this year. (Sunnex)