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MANILA, Philippines – Quiel strengthened from a tropical depression into a tropical storm at 8 pm on Tuesday, November 5. It has been given the international name Nakri, a name contributed by Cambodia which refers to a kind of flower.

In a bulletin issued 11 pm on Tuesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Tropical Storm Quiel (Nakri) now has maximum winds of 65 kilometers per hour (km/h) from 55 km/h in the afternoon, and gustiness of up to 80 km/h from 70 km/h.

PAGASA said Quiel may intensify further into a severe tropical storm within 24 hours. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

Quiel is already 500 kilometers west southwest of Subic, Zambales, moving east still at a slow pace of 10 km/h.

It remains unlikely to make landfall in the country and there are no areas under tropical cyclone wind signals.

But PAGASA warned that Quiel and the tail-end of a cold front are bringing rain. Here’s what to expect in terms of rainfall from Tuesday evening to Wednesday evening, November 6.

Moderate to occasionally heavy rain

• Northern Luzon
• Zambales
• Bataan

Light to moderate rain with intermittent heavy rain

• Occidental Mindoro
• Oriental Mindoro
• Romblon
• Palawan
• Western Visayas

PAGASA said residents of those areas must watch out for possible flash floods and landslides.

Travel is also risky, especially for small vessels, in the northern seaboard of Northern Luzon and the western seaboards of Luzon.

Based on Quiel’s latest forecast track, it might leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday, November 8.

Quiel is the Philippines’ 17th tropical cyclone for 2019, and the 1st in November. (READ: LIST: PAGASA’s names for tropical cyclones in 2019)

Meanwhile, PAGASA continues to monitor Typhoon Halong outside PAR.

Halong intensified as well, and now has maximum winds of 205 km/h from 185 km/h in the afternoon, and gustiness of up to 250 km/h from 230 km/h.

The typhoon is now 3,020 kilometers east of extreme Northern Luzon, moving west northwest still at 10 km/h. So far, it remains unlikely to enter PAR.

The country gets an average of 20 tropical cyclones annually, but since 2019 is an El Niño year, only 14 to 18 tropical cyclones are expected.

Below is the estimated number of tropical cyclones for the last two months of 2019:

• November – 1 or 2
• December – 0 or 1

PAGASA declared the start of the rainy season last June 14. – Rappler.com