'Mawar' likely to become a typhoon, may enter PAR on Friday

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 21) — Mawar, the tropical cyclone outside the country’s weather monitoring area, has intensified into a severe tropical storm and is likely to pick up strength and become a typhoon within the next 24 hours, the state weather bureau says.

In its latest public forecast on Sunday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Severe Tropical Storm Mawar may enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) next weekend.

“Itong bagyong ito ay inaasahang mag-intensify at maging isang typhoon in the next 24 hours. Posible rin itong pumasok sa ating area of responsibility by Friday or over the weekend," PAGASA weather forecaster Veronica Torres said.

[Translation: This storm is expected to intensify and become a typhoon in the next 24 hours. It could possibly enter our area of responsibility by Friday or over the weekend.]

Mawar was last spotted 2,390 kilometers east of Northeastern Mindanao. It has strengthened and is now packing maximum sustained winds of 100 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of 125 kph.

Torres said it currently has no direct effect on the country’s weather conditions.

She said Mawar may enhance the southwesterly wind flow, which currently affects the western parts of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

Mawar is forecast to move north-northwestward towards Guam by Sunday to Wednesday before shifting to a full northwest track, PAGASA earlier said.

The weather disturbance is also seen to intensify into a supertyphoon starting Wednesday, the state weather bureau added.

The entrance of Mawar to the PAR could also signal the start of the rainy season in the country, which PAGASA said on Saturday could begin by end-May to early June.

Currently, the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ICTZ) — the area where south and north trade winds that form clouds and rains converge — is affecting the weather conditions of Palawan and Mindanao.

PAGASA also said the country may experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to the ITCZ and localized thunderstorms.