PAGASA names tropical depression Romina outside PAR

The Philippine weather bureau PAGASA has assigned the local name Romina to a tropical depression currently outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), marking the first time in decades that a local name was given before entry into PAR.

PAGASA decided to name this system early because it had already started affecting Kalayaan Islands, which lies just outside PAR and has raised Wind Signal No. 1 due to strong winds expected within the next 36 hours.

As of Sunday morning, December 22, Romina was located about 365 kilometers south of Kalayaan and moving north-northeast at a speed of 35 km/h with maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h.

The tropical depression packs gusts up to 70 kph and may briefly reach tropical storm intensity before weakening back into a depression, but PAGASA said it is unlikely to enter the country's boundary despite being named early.

Romina is expected to bring intermittent rains and winds of 39 to 61 kph over Kalayaan Islands while its trough or extension will cause scattered rains over the rest of Palawan.