Tropical depression "Dante" entered the Philippine area of responsibility early Sunday and is likely to slightly intensify in the coming days and will affect areas in Mindanao, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.

In its 5pm bulletin, Pagasa said Dante, located east of Mindanao, has decelerated and was moving west northwestward.

The weather disturbance was last spotted at 835 kilometers east of Mindanao with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (km/h), gusts up to 70 km/h, and central pressure of 1,002 hectopascals (hPa).

It was moving at 15 km/h.

Pagasa said there is an increasing likelihood that Dante will reach tropical storm category by Monday morning and will slightly intensify until Wednesday.

"By Wednesday evening, Dante is forecast to weaken into a tropical depression and will become a remnant low by Friday," it said.

The weather bureau said the tropical depression is forecast to continue its current movement until Wednesday evening before turning north northeastward.

Dante entered PAR around 1am Sunday.

Light to moderate with at times heavy rain will be experienced over Caraga and Davao Region due to the tropical depression.

"Hoisting of tropical cyclone wind signal (TCWS) over any land area in the country remains less likely," Pagasa said.

"Any further westward shift in the forecast track may lead to hoisting of TCWS over the eastern portion of the country," it added. Ella Dionisio/DMS