BACOLOD CITY, Philippines — The tropical depression that has been brewing east of Mindanao has intensified into a tropical storm with international name Phanfone, weather bureau PAGASA warns in its 11 a.m. Tropical Cyclone Advisory # 2 today.
It may enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility between tonight and tomorrow (23 December) morning and will be named “Ursula”.
The storm is forecast to make landfall over Eastern Visayas-Caraga area on Tuesday, Christmas Eve.
It will then traverse the Visayas area, bringing with it moderate to occasionally heavy rains over the region, and northeastern Mindanao.
The storm was spotted at 1,365 km East of Mindanao (outside PAR).
It has maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h near the center, with gustines of up to 80 km/h, and moving northwest at at 15 km/h.
Phanfone has no direct effect on any part of the country at the moment. (RELATED STORY: Tropical depression to enter PAR; landfall on Chrismas Eve)
