Weather Today – October 17, 2017 #PAOLOPH enters PAR; may recurve away from landmass

The Tropical Storm with international name Lan entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) last night and was given the local name, Paolo, the country’ 16th Tropical Cyclone this 2017.

At 11:00 AM today, the cyclone has intensified into a severe tropical storm and was at 765 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar. It has maximum sustained winds of 90 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 115 kph. The storm is forecast to move west-northwest at 7 kph.

In an interview, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Gener Quitlong said that Paolo may recurve and miss the landmass due to a current interaction with a Low Pressure Area (LPA) located west of Palawan. But Paolo may also intensify into a typhoon before exiting PAR by Sunday and head towards Japan.

No tropical cyclone warning signal was issued but the outer rainbands of Paolo may bring scattered light to moderate with possible occasional heavy rains over Bicol Region, Visayas and Mindanao. Meanwhile, the LPA will bring scattered light to moderate with possible occasional heavy rains over Palawan. In the rest of Luzon, including Metro Manila, partly cloudy to cloudy skies will prevail, apart from isolated rain showers mostly in the afternoon or evening.