THE low pressure area that was spotted in the middle of the Philippine Sea east of Eastern Visayas has developed into a tropical depression, the state weather bureau said Tuesday, June 6, 2023.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) named the weather system as Tropical Depression Chedeng, which was spotted 1,170 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon with maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (km/h) near the center, gusts of up to 55 km/h, and central pressure of 1004 hPa as of 11 a.m. Tuesday.
Pagasa said Chedeng was “almost stationary” but it was forecast to gradually accelerate and move generally northwestward within the day before turning west northwestward by Wednesday, June 7.
“Tropical Depression Chedeng is forecast to remain far from the Philippine landmass. As such, it is unlikely to directly bring heavy rainfall over any portion of the country in the next [three] to [five] days,” Pagasa said.
The weather bureau said Chedeng may enhance the southwest monsoon, locally known as habagat, but the areas it may affect, especially in the western part of the country, may still change due to the dependence of monsoon enhancement on the forecast movement and intensity of the weather system and its interaction with the others surrounding it.
“On the track forecast, Chedeng will maintain its west northwestward movement from tomorrow until Thursday. Afterwards, the tropical cyclone will begin turning towards the northwest on Friday and to the north during the weekend. Throughout the forecast period, Chedeng will remain far from the Philippine landmass,” it added.
Chedeng was expected to turn into a tropical storm category by June 7 and a typhoon by June 8.
Pagasa said it will reach its peak intensity during the weekend while over the Philippine Sea east of northern Luzon. (SunStar Philippines)