MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Storm Chedeng (Guchol) gained more strength over the Philippine Sea before dawn on Wednesday, June 7.

Chedeng’s maximum sustained winds increased from 65 kilometers per hour to 75 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in its 5 am bulletin on Wednesday.

The tropical storm’s gustiness is now up to 90 km/h from 80 km/h.

Chedeng was located 1,060 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon, too far to affect the Philippines. It is heading west northwest at the same slow pace of 10 km/h.

PAGASA maintained that Chedeng will stay far from the country’s landmass, so it is “unlikely to directly bring heavy rainfall” to any part of the country in the next three to five days.

Tropical cyclone wind signals are unlikely to be raised as well.

Chedeng also won’t be causing rough conditions in the country’s coastal waters, at least in the next 24 hours.

But Chedeng might enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat, depending on its movement and intensity in the coming days.

The timing and intensity of monsoon rain, as well as the likelihood of gusts or sudden and strong winds, will depend on how Chedeng would enhance the southwest monsoon.

PAGASA said it would issue a weather advisory if it sees “an increasing chance” of heavy monsoon rain in the next three days.

On Wednesday, the southwest monsoon will continue to trigger rain showers and thunderstorms in Palawan.

Elsewhere, there will only be isolated rain showers or localized thunderstorms.

Chedeng is projected to move northwest or west northwest until mid-Friday, June 9, before shifting more toward the north or north northeast for the rest of Friday until the weekend.

PAGASA also expects Chedeng to intensify further in the next three to four days.

It could become a severe tropical storm on Wednesday evening or Thursday, June 8, and a typhoon on Thursday.

“Rapid intensification is not ruled out,” PAGASA said, adding that Chedeng might reach its peak intensity by Friday or Saturday, June 10.

Chedeng is the Philippines’ third tropical cyclone for 2023 and the first for June. PAGASA earlier estimated there would be one or two tropical cyclones during the month.

The weather bureau announced the start of the rainy season last Friday, June 2. – Rappler.com