PAGASA: LPA East of PH May Become Cyclone Wilma

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration announced on Tuesday that a low-pressure area monitored east of the country has a high likelihood of developing into a tropical cyclone within the next 24 to 48 hours, potentially entering the Philippine area of responsibility as the storm named Wilma.

As of early Tuesday, the weather disturbance was located approximately 1,280 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas, outside the Philippine area of responsibility but showing signs of intensification, according to PAGASA weather specialist Chenel Dominguez. Once the system enters the area as a tropical depression, it will be designated as Wilma, marking the first storm of December and the 23rd to affect the Philippines this year. Dominguez noted during a morning briefing that initial forecast models suggest a possible landfall in Eastern Visayas or the Caraga region later in the week, though the projected path carries significant uncertainty. "We see from our forecast track that it is possible for it to make landfall here in Eastern Visayas or here in Caraga," she said. "But right now, we still have high uncertainty about its possible track."