Low pressure area now Tropical Depression Salome

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MANILA, Philippines – The low pressure area (LPA) off the Visayas intensified into a tropical depression on Thursday morning, November 9. It has been named Salome.

In a bulletin released past 9 am on Thursday, state weather bureau PAGASA said Tropical Depression Salome is already in the vicinity of Mondragon, Northern Samar. It is moving west northwest at 25 kilometers per hour (km/h).

With its current speed, the tropical depression is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) early Saturday morning, November 11 – before leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations arrive in the country for the 31st ASEAN Summit. (READ: Bad weather results in cancelled flights on Thursday, Nov 9)

Most ASEAN leaders will arrive on Sunday, November 12, coming from the ongoing Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Vietnam, which Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is also attending. The weather will likely be better by then.

As of Thursday morning, Salome has maximum winds of 45 km/h and gustiness of up to 80 km/h. (READ: EXPLAINER: How tropical cyclones form)

Signal number 1 is raised in the following areas in Luzon and the Visayas:

• Camarines Sur
• Albay
• Sorsogon
• Masbate including Ticao and Burias Islands
• Romblon
• Marinduque
• southern Quezon
• Laguna
• Cavite
• Batangas
• Oriental Mindoro
• Occidental Mindoro
• Northern Samar
• Eastern Samar
• Samar
• Leyte including Biliran

Moderate to heavy rainfall is expected within the 200-kilometer diameter of the tropical depression. Flash floods and landslides are possible.

Aside from areas under signal number 1, PAGASA also warned the rest of Bicol, the rest of Calabarzon, Metro Manila, and the eastern part of Central Luzon to also be on alert for flash floods and landslides. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

Sea travel is also risky in areas under signal number 1.

Based on Salome’s latest forecast track, it will cross the Sibuyan Sea between Luzon and the Visayas on Thursday, before its exit from PAR early Saturday.

– Rappler.com