Weather Today – May 7, 2015 | #DODONGPH now inside PAR

Typhoon Noul has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility at 4 AM today and is now called locally as “Dodong.”

With PAGASA’s hourly updates, Dodong was last estimated at 925 kms. east northeast of Surigao City 10 o’clock this morning.

Entering PAR under Typhoon category, Dodong slightly intensified within a couple of hours, now packing maximum sustained winds of 140 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 170 kph. It continues to move in a west northwest direction at 17 kph.

In a press conference held today in PAGASA, Acting Administrator Dr. Vicente Malano said that Dodong may further intensify in the following hours but may not reach Super Typhoon status.

The consensus forecast from different global models also show Dodong is more likely to hit the northeastern part of Luzon before recurving.

In the current forecast track, the typhoon is expected to pass close to the Bicol Region and Samar provinces Saturday morning. If it maintains its current speed and direction, it is expected to hit Isabela-Cagayan area by Sunday.

No public storm warning signal is raised yet as Dodong is still far to affect the country. However, according to Weather Forecaster Chris Perez, the bureau may raise signals later today or tomorrow. The typhoon is expected to dump rains in a big area of Luzon as it moves closer to our landmass in the following days. Metro Manila might also be put under Signal #1, Perez said.

Meanwhile, Perez provided historical climatic data on the tropical cyclones that affected the Philippines during the month of May within a 64-year range. Based on PAGASA’s Tropical Cyclone Guidance System, 70 tropical cyclones has entered PAR during this month and are mostly in typhoon category. In the recorded tracks, majority have hit land before recurvature.

Despite the presence of Typhoon Dodong inside PAR, the archipelago will still experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with chances of localized thunderstorms excluding the regions of CARAGA and Davao, which will be affected by the trough of the typhoon, bringing light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms today.