Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Tropical depression 'Karen' seen to intensify

Have your umbrellas close at hand. A tropical depression is seen to intensify within the next six to 12 hours as it moves toward the Philippines, the weather bureau said Tuesday. "The active low pressure area east of Mindanao has developed into a tropical depression and was named 'Karen,'", the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomic Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its 11 a.m. update. It noted, however, that the weather disturbance is "still too far to affect any part of the country." Karen was spotted 700 kilometers east of Tandag, Surigao del Sur at 10 a.m., with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center. It is forecast to move northwest at 7 kph. Karen is expected to be at 600 kilometers east of Siargao by Wednesday morning, 460 kilometers east of Borongan, Eastern Samar by Thursday morning, and at 390 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes by Friday morning, Pagasa said. Moderate to heavy rainfall (10 to 20 millimeters per hour) is seen within the 300-kilometer diameter of the tropical depression.