MANILA - Tropical storm "Ferdie" (international name: Meranti) has entered the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) Sunday morning, state weather bureau PAGASA said.

Packing maximum sustained winds of of 105 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts of up to 135 kph, Ferdie was spotted east of Casiguran, Aurora at 11 a.m.

PAGASA meteorologist Jun Galang said the storm is expected to dump rains over northern Luzon by Wednesday or Thursday.

Moderate to heavy rains are expected within the 300-kilometer diameter of storm which is currently moving west northwest at 20 kph.

No tropical cyclone warning signal has been raised.

Ferdie may exit the PAR on Thursday, 625 kilometers northwest of Itbayat, Batanes, Galang said.

In the meantime, PAGASA is also monitoring a low pressure area (LPA) spotted east of Surigao del Sur.

Galang said the LPA may enhance the southwest monsoon and dampen Northern Luzon on Tuesday or Wednesday.