The latest online rumors have been a cause of concern throughout the country as a serious question is being asked: Is Tropical Storm Elida entering the Philippines? Tracking maps are flying around in social media and many Filipinos are trying to locate the latest tracking map of PAGASA to determine if this Cyclone is an actual threat to Luzon, Visayas or Mindanao.
But there is a need for absolute geographical precision for monitoring the weather. However, a detailed analysis of data from all over the world indicates Tropical Storm Elida is far from the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). This is the true fact-checked description of the storm’s path, grid references and on-land effects.
Where is Tropical Storm Elida Actually Located?
Tropical Storm Elida is currently active, but is located thousands of miles from Asian waters. The storm developed in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, far south-southwest of the Baja California peninsula of Mexico, according to National Hurricane Center NHC.
The storm has maximum sustained winds around 65 mph (100 km/h) as tracked by international weather monitoring agencies, such as AccuWeather and Zoom Earth. It is expected to turn northwestward, becoming even more out of the way, cold, water of the Pacific Ocean. The system is showing no sign of being near land and has been explicitly stated by forecasters that the system has no threat to any landmass.
Decoding the Confusion: The 119 Degrees Longitude Mix-up
If it’s not heading towards Mexico, why are there speculations that it is heading towards the Philippines? The internet frenzy is just another example of a spatial misconception about coordinate systems.
Tropical Storm Elida’s center was recently estimated at 15.8 North latitude and 118.3 West longitude. Automated bots or concerned web users mistype the cardinal letters when an internet warning or auto weather update is sent.
The 118° to 119° East longitude is just within the Philippine Area of Responsibility, right between the provinces of Zambales and Pangasinan, in the eastern hemisphere. But due to its strict 118° West, Elida lies across the entire globe of this planet.
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Current Philippine Weather Outlook: What is PAGASA Tracking?
Elida is an Eastern Pacific storm and the local State weather bureau doesn’t have any reason to issue a PAGASA latest track for it. Only the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration monitors and names tropical cyclones over or within the PAR using a localised naming list.
The weekly weather forecast issued by PAGASA states that the prevailing weather situation in the country at present time has no relation with the international cyclones. Rather, the Philippines is witnessing seasonal changes caused by the following:
- The Southwest Monsoon (Habagat): bringing isolated precipitation over the Ilocos Region, Zambales and Bataan in the form of cloudy skies and thunderstorms.
- Localized Thunderstorms: Brief and intense rainfalls in Metro Manila and parts of Visayas and Mindanao during the afternoon/evening hours.
- Potential Low Pressure Area (LPA): PAGASA indicates a weak model signal for a potential LPA forming in the far eastern waters of the Philippines towards the end of July that can further boost monsoon rainfall.
FAQs
Will Tropical Storm Elida be given a local Filipino name?
No. Because Tropical Storm Elida is located in the Eastern Pacific and will never enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility, it will not receive a local name from PAGASA. Local names are reserved strictly for systems that enter or form inside the PAR zone.
Why hasn’t PAGASA released an official warning for Elida?
PAGASA only issues heavy rainfall warnings, bulletin updates, and tracking charts for storms within its official jurisdiction. Since Elida is under the warning zone of the National Hurricane Center in Miami, local authorities do not issue domestic advisories for it.
What should Filipinos look out for in the coming days?
Rather than worrying about distant Pacific storms, residents should monitor the daily Habagat updates. Flash floods and minor landslides remain a potential risk in low-lying or mountainous areas of Western Luzon due to localized monsoon rains, according to reports from The Manila Times and local networks.
