Manila: The trough of a tropical storm currently located outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) is expected to bring rain to various parts of the Visayas and Mindanao, according to the weather bureau. According to Philippines News Agency, Tropical Storm Mekkhala was located 1,665 kilometers east of Southeastern Luzon as of 3 a.m. It is currently moving west-northwestward at a speed of 25 kilometers per hour, with maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts reaching up to 90 kilometers per hour. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) anticipates that the storm will enter the PAR between late Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning, at which point it will be named Francisco. While a landfall scenario is considered unlikely at this point, the storm is expected to intensify and could reach typhoon status by Sunday. Despite this potential increase in strength, PAGASA has indicated that the cyclone is unlikely to have a direct impact on the weather and sea conditions in the Philippines over the next two days. The trough associated with the cyclone is predicted to cause cloudy skies along with scattered rains and thunderstorms in regions including Eastern Samar, Southern Leyte, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Norte. PAGASA has issued warnings about the possibility of flash floods or landslides occurring in these areas due to moderate to occasionally heavy rainfall. Meanwhile, the rest of the country will likely experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms, influenced by the easterlies and localized thunderstorms. Light to moderate winds and slight to moderate sea conditions are expected to prevail across the Philippine archipelago.