Queenie may become a typhoon by Sept. 27

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Storm Queenie may reach typhoon category on Sunday, Sept. 27, the state weather bureau said.

In its tropical cyclone bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Queenie will gradually intensify while inside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) and become a typhoon by Sunday.

As of 4 p.m. Thursday, it was located 1,205 kilometers (km) east of Northern Luzon. It entered the PAR early Thursday.

Article continues after this advertisement

READ: Cyclone east of N. Luzon enters PAR; now called Queenie – Pagasa

FEATURED STORIES

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

Pagasa said Queenie maintained its strength while moving northwestward at 25 km per hour.

It packs maximum sustained winds of 75 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 90 km per hour, the weather bureau added.

Queenie is forecast to exit the PAR either Monday morning or afternoon, Sept. 28. “Afterward it will move generally northeastward near the southern islands of Japan,” Pagasa said.

However, its trough, or extension, will continue to bring cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms over Mindanao, Negros Island Region, Aklan, Iloilo, Guimaras, and Siquijor.

Bicol Region and the rest of Visayas will also experience gloomy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to the extension of Queenie. /mcm