Tropical Storm Mekkhala was located 1,665 kilometers east of Southeastern Luzon on Saturday morning, bringing rains to parts of the Visayas and Mindanao through its trough while forecast to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility later that day or Sunday.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration reported that Mekkhala had maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 90 kilometers per hour. It was moving west-northwestward at 25 kilometers per hour as of 3 a.m. on June 20.
The storm is expected to intensify and may reach typhoon strength by Sunday after entering the PAR, where it will be named Francisco. Its trough is forecast to bring cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms over Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Norte.
PAGASA noted that the cyclone is less likely to directly affect the country in the next two days. No gale warnings were raised for any seaboards.
