CEBU and parts of the Visayas will experience light to moderate rainfall until next Monday after tropical depression “Gorio” developed into a tropical storm late Tuesday evening.
Al Quiblat, acting chief of the Mactan office of the state weather bureau Pagasa, said “Gorio” was spotted 440 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora province as of yesterday evening.
Packing maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour and gustiness of 90 kph, Gorio is seen to strengthen the southeast monsoon or habagat in Luzon and Visayas.
Quiblat said both Luzon and the Visayas will experience light to moderate rains and occasional thunderstorms.
He said while the Visayas may be partly safe from floods and soil erosion, small fishing vessels are advised not to sail due to strong waves and winds.
“Gorio” is the seventh storm to enter the country this year and the third for this month. It is forecast to move out of the country next Monday, heading to Japan.
Based on Pagasa data, another nine to 14 storms are set to enter the country before the year ends.
Four to eight storms may hit the country next month and September.
“The months of August and September bear the heaviest rains and storms because that’s the peak of the rainy season. Also most storms usually hit the Visayas at the end of the year,” Quiblat said.