Tropical Storm SURIGAE StormWatch No. 02

The Tropical Depression over Western Micronesia has been upgraded into a Tropical Storm (TS) with international name “SURIGAE”, a North Korean word for a kind of eagle.  This storm is currently moving slowly  during the past 6 hours and is likely to intensify further into a Severe Tropical Storm (STS) by Thursday afternoon.

TS SURIGAE is forecast to become a Typhoon (TY) and enter the southeastern border of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday morning, April 16. 

• Location of Center: Over Western Micronesia (near 8.6°N 137.0°E)
• Distance 1: 164 km southwest of Colonia, Yap (FSM)
• Distance 2: 220 km east of PAR
• Distance 3: 1,167 km east of Surigao Del Sur, Mindanao (PH)

• TS SURIGAE is forecast to move across the Philippine Sea this weekend, becoming a Category 3 & 4 Typhoon on Sunday afternoon (Apr 18) through Monday afternoon (Apr 19) while it is about 200-300 km to the east of Bicol Region. Please take note that the 4 to 5-day forecast remains uncertain with 30-55% chance (Low to Medium Probability). Kindly refer to our attached StormWatch Track for the forecast wind speeds of this cyclone.
• Once this storm enters PAR, it will be named domestically by PAGASA as “BISING.”
• This StormWatch is valid for the next 24 hours.