By Joseph B.A. Marzan
While the country is still reeling from the destruction caused by Typhoon Quinta (international name: ‘Molave’) early this week, Severe Tropical Storm Rolly (international name: ‘Goni’) is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) today, Oct 30, 2020, according to the latest update from the Office of Civil Defense-Region 6 (OCD-6) on Thursday.
According to the OCD-6, which chairs the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, “Rolly” was expected to move into the PAR at around Thursday afternoon or evening.
The typhoon, which formed off the coast of Palau on Oct. 23, was observed to have intensified into a Severe Tropical Storm at around 8 am on Oct. 29.
As of 10 am Thursday, it was estimated to be 1,545 kilometers east of Central Luzon.
It packs with maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour near the center, gustiness of up to 115 kilometers per hour, and a westward movement of about 10 kilometers per hour.
Gustiness refers to the movement or coming in of rain and wind.
Today, it is expected to be at 1,140 kilometers east of the town of Casiguran, Aurora.
It is also expected to intensify even further, bringing in rains over Central and Southern Luzon over today and the weekend.
The movement is anticipated to affect the provinces of Quezon, Camarines Norte, and Tarlac until Monday, Nov. 2, 2020.
A Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal #1 may be hoisted over some provinces in Bicol Region and Northern Samar over Friday evening.
As of this writing, there is no update on the impact of Typhoon Rolly over Western Visayas.
Meanwhile, another Low-Pressure Area which formed outside of the PAR had upgraded into a Tropical Depression (TD).
This TD was observed to be 2,510 kilometers east of Mindanao with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour, gustiness of 70 kilometers per hour, and moving west-nothwest at 15 kilometers per hour.
It is also expected to develop into a tropical storm today, and may enter the PAR on Monday, Nov. 2, or Tuesday, Nov. 3.
There is also no word yet on how this new TD will affect the weather in Western Visayas.
The update was released as of 10 a.m. of Oct. 29 based on reports by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
The PAGASA is an attached agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) which monitors the weather conditions of the country.
