MANILA, Philippines —Tropical Storm "Gardo" has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) but will remain far from the landmass throughout its forecast period, the state weather agency said on Thursday.
Nathaniel Servando, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) chief, said Gardo, the seventh storm to hit the country in 2026, was estimated at 1,400 kilometers east of extreme Northern Luzon.
Moving westward at 45 kilometers per hour (kph), the tropical storm has maximum sustained winds of 85kph near the center and gustiness of up to 105kph.
Likely to move north-northwestward to northward, it would then exit PAR either by Friday morning or afternoon, Servando said.
Meanwhile, the Pagasa administrator said Severe Tropical Storm "Francisco" was still within PAR but was expected to exit within the next six hours.
Forecast to further weaken, Francisco, which affected the provinces of Batanes and Cagayan, would be downgraded to a tropical storm as it leaves the PAR region, the national weather bureau said
