Tropical Depression Neneng has slightly gained strength while tracking northwestward over the waters east of Batanes, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (DOST-PAGASA).
In its 5 a.m. bulletin, the state weather bureau reported that the center of the tropical depression was tracked 675 km east of Itbayat, Batanes.
Moving northwest at 15 km per hour (kph), Neneng packs maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near its center, with gustiness reaching up to 70 kph.
Forecast models indicate the storm could make landfall along Taiwan’s eastern coast between Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. However, its core is expected to remain over the Philippine Sea throughout the entire forecast window.
While Neneng stays offshore, the southwest monsoon (habagat) continues to bring severe weather across western Luzon. Up to 200 millimeters of rainfall is anticipated over Zambales, Bataan, and Occidental Mindoro.
Meanwhile, heavy precipitation reaching up to 100 mm is forecast to affect Metro Manila, La Union, Benguet, Pangasinan, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, and Oriental Mindoro.
Cloudy conditions accompanied by scattered rain showers and thunderstorms will prevail over the rest of Luzon, as well as Antique and Aklan, due to the southwest monsoon. The Visayas and Mindanao can expect partly cloudy to cloudy skies with localized thunderstorms bringing isolated rain.
State meteorologists are also monitoring two additional tropical depressions outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). Similar to Neneng, these external weather systems currently pose no direct threat to the country.