Dante intensifies into tropical storm

Tropical depression “Dante” has intensified into a tropical storm, bringing rain showers over Mindanao and some parts of Visayas, and is moving 16 kilometers per hour (kph) north-northwest, according Monday to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Dante was recently located 625 kilometers east of Davao City with maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 80 kph.

The rest of the country will experience humid temperatures, but localized thunderstorms are expected to bring rain showers by afternoon, said PAGASA senior weather specialist Meno Mendoza.

The forecast position of the weather system indicates it will be at 430 kilometers east of Surigao City, Surigao del Norte in the next 24 hours.

Dante is expected to move away from the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at 685 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes on Saturday, June 5.

“Hindi natin nakikita sa ngayon na posible tayo magkaroon ng signal (Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal) sa alin man bahagi ng bansa. Subalit kung ating makikita ang ating track, kung posible na gumalaw ang bagyo pakaliwa at mas didikit sa ating kalupaan ay posible pa rin tayo magkaroon ng warning signals sa mga lugar sa silangang bahagi ng ating bansa sa mga susunod na araw,” he said.

Tropical storm Dante will remain in the Philippine sea for two days and it is expected to continuously move northwestward in the next three days. Dante is more likely to gradually intensify in the next two days before it weakens as a low-pressure area (LPA).