Tropical Storm ‘Jenny’ Gains Strength, to Exit PHL by Weekend

Manila (PNA) — Tropical Storm “Jenny” has intensified its strength but decelerated its speed as it continues to move west northwest, according to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Thursday.

PAGASA weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said as of 4 a.m. Thursday, Jenny was spotted 1,280 km east of Calayan, Cagayan (19.5N, 133.7E).

Aurelio said the tropical storm’s maximum sustained winds increased from 65 kph to 85 kph while its gustiness also up to 100 kph from 80 kph and continues to move west northwest but the speed decelerated from 15 kph to 7 kph.

He said no public storm warning signal raised in any part of the country and Jenny is not expected to make landfall in any part of the country.

However, he noted the tropical storm will enhance the southwest monsoon now affecting Visayas and Mindanao.

If it maintains speed and movement, Aurelio said the tropical storm is expected to exit the Philippine Area of responsibility (PAR) by weekend and will head towards Japan.

For Thursday forecast, cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms will be experienced over Cagayan Valley, Mimaropa, Bicol regions, Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, and the provinces of Cavite and Batangas.

He noted fair weather or partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated thunderstorms will prevail over Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon.

Aurelio said the state-run weather bureau also issued a gale warning due to the effects of southwest monsoon enhanced by the tropical storm as the sea condition will be rough to very rough due to strong to gale force winds is expected to affect the eastern seaboards of Visayas and of Mindanao.

“Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves,” it warned.

In its advisory, PAGASA said moderate to strong winds blowing from the northwest to west will prevail over Luzon and coming from the southwest to west over Visayas and Mindanao. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be moderate to rough. (PNA) JBP/CLTC