The first storm of 2020 will likely hit areas in Mindanao, the weather agency PAGASA said on Sunday.

At 2 p.m., a low pressure area located east of Mindanao developed into a tropical depression, named “Ambo” by state meteorologists.

In its latest update, PAGASA said Ambo was forecast to bring scattered light to moderate precipitation with occasional heavy rains over the regions of Caraga, Davao, SOCCSKSARGEN, and Maguindanao, but said it was unlikely that storm signals would be raised in the next 48 hours.

In an interview with CNN Philippines on Sunday, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Samuel Duran said Ambo’s presence did not mean the onset of the rainy season.

“Sa ngayon, although meron na tayong bagyo, hindi pa rin natin ito ini-expect na kumbaga, ma-sustain ‘yung talagang tuluy-tuloy na pag-ulan dahil nga po kailangang mas malaki pang weather systems ‘yung makaapekto pa,” he said.

[Translation: Right now, although we already have a storm, we still don’t expect it to sustain continuous rains because there need to be larger weather systems affecting it.]

“Most likely paglampas ni Ambo, baka patuloy pa rin tayo sa mainit na panahon,” he added.

Duran said Tropical Depression Ambo is forecast to come close to the Bicol and Aurora areas later in the week, but is expected to not directly affect Metro Manila.

As of 4 p.m. the center of the storm was located 545 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, and was moving northwest at 15 kilometers per hour (kph).

Ambo has maximum sustained winds of 45 kph and gustiness of up to 55 kph. |via cnnphilippines.com