By Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan, PNA and U.S. News Agency / Asian

Tropical depression “Igme” has intensified into a storm on Sunday afternoon and remained almost stationary for the past six hours, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

PAGASA said as of 4 p.m. Sunday, tropical storm Igme (international name: Tembin) was estimated at 315 kms East Northeast of Aparri, Cagayan (17.6°N, 124.8°E) with maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometer per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph.

With its present speed, weather forecaster Connie Dadivas said Igme was expected to be out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday, heading to Taiwan.

Dadivas also said that Igme would bring rains over Northern Luzon while Metro Manila would experience rains due to southwest monsoon enhanced by Igme.

She also said that Igme was not expected to make a landfall.

PAGASA said Igme carried about 5 to 15 mm per hour (moderate – heavy) of rainfall within its the 400-kilometer diameter coverage.

The weather agency said that tropical storm Igme was expected to enhance the southwest monsoon that would bring light to moderate rains over rest of Northern Luzon, particularly in Benguet, Baguio, Pangasinan, La Union, IIocos region and also in Central and Southern Luzon, especially the western section.

Residents living in Northern Luzon, especially in low lying and mountainous areas, are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides.

Fishing boats and other small seacraft are advised not to venture out into the Eastern Seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon due to Igme and the surge of southwest monsoon.

Meanwhile, storm warning signal number 1 remains hoisted over Isabela and Cagayan which are expected to experience winds of 45 to 60 kilometers per hour (kph) within the next 36 hours.

Igme was forecast to move north slowly and located about 320 km East Southeast of Aparri, Cagayan on Monday afternoon; 400 km East Northeast of Aparri, Cagayan on Tuesday afternoon; and Wednesday afternoon at 300 km Northeast of Basco Batanes.