LPA may develop into tropical depression once it moves to WPS — Pagasa

MANILA, Philippines — The low pressure area over the coastal waters of San Pascual, Masbate may develop into a tropical depression once it moves to the West Philippine Sea, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Thursday.

But according to Pagasa weather specialist Loriedin Dela Cruz, the LPA is also expected to move away from the Philippine area of responsibility by the time it becomes a tropical depression.

“Base sa ating latest analysis kapag ang lokasyon nitong LPA ay nasa West Philippine Sea na, meron po itong potensyal na maging bagyo o kaya naman ay maging tropical depression. Ang magandang balita naman po, by that time ay posible na palabas na ito ng ating area of responsibility,” she said in a weather update issued by Pagasa at 4 a.m.

(Based on our latest analysis, once the LPA is over the West Philippine Sea, it will have a potential of developing into a tropical depression. The good news is, by that time, it may possibly be moving away already from our area of responsibility.)

Currently, the LPA is crossing the landmass of southern Luzon and is moving westward.

Meanwhile, typhoon Chan-Hom outside PAR was last spotted 1,360 kilometers northeast of extreme northern Luzon. Moving northwestward at 15 kilometers per hour (kph), it has maximum sustained winds of 130 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 160 kph.

“Mababa ang tsansa na pumasok ito ng PAR kaya’t wala pong significant effect sa anumang bahagi ng ating bansa. Palayo ito ng ating bansa at posible na tumama ito sa landmass ng Japan o kaya naman ay sa southern coast ng Japan,” Dela Cruz said.

(It has a low chance of entering PAR so it has no significant effect on any part of the country. It is moving away from PAR and may cross the landmass or southern coast of Japan.)

For the weather forecast this Thursday, Pagasa said Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Visayas and Mindanao will have cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms due to the LPA and the southwest monsoon or habagat.

Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, and Cagayan Valley will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains due to the northeasterly surface windflow.

Forecast temperature range in key cities/areas:

Metro Manila: 25 to 31 degrees Celsius
Baguio City: 16 to 23 degrees Celsius
Laoag City:  26 to 30 degrees Celsius
Tuguegarao: 24 to 29 degrees Celsius
Legazpi City: 26 to 31 degrees Celsius
Puerto Princesa City: 25 to 31 degrees Celsius
Kalayaan Islands: 25 to 31 degrees Celsius
Iloilo City: 26 to 30 degrees Celsius
Cebu: 24 to 31 degrees Celsius
Tacloban City: 26 to 31 degrees Celsius
Cagayan De Oro City: 24 to 31 degrees Celsius
Zamboanga City: 25 to 32 degrees Celsius
Davao City: 25 to 31 degrees Celsius

EDV