MANILA, Philippines — The low-pressure area (LPA) east of the country expected to develop into a tropical cyclone may enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) by the weekend, state meteorologists said Monday afternoon.
Latest weather forecasts from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) showed that the LPA, currently located 1,636 kilometers east of Mindanao, may develop into a tropical cyclone in the next 24 to 36 hours.
It would still have no effect on the country as it is still very far from the landmass. However, Pagasa said that based on the global spectral model on wind directions, the LPA may move near the eastern side of the country, bringing rains over Mindanao, and other parts of Eastern Visayas.
As of now, Pagasa sees a possible recurve scenario, or the cyclone moving back east toward the Pacific Ocean after it enters the PAR.
“Hindi rin natin niru-rule out na posibleng within 36 or 24 hours or less ay maging ganap na bagyo na po ito. At kapag naging ganap na bagyo, ang magiging local name po nito ay Bising,” senior weather specialist Chris Perez said.
(We are not ruling out the possibility that the LPA would turn into a cyclone within 36 hours or 24 hours or even less. And if this develops into a storm, its local name would be Bising.)
“So far, kung maging bagyo man ito, inaasahan nga natin na posibleng dumikit or pumasok ng ating area of responsibility ngayong darating na weekend, possibly by Saturday or Sunday, then within Monday or Tuesday ay inaasahan naman natin na magre-recurve palayo ng ating bansa,” he added.
(So far, if this turns into a cyclone, we are expecting it to move near or graze our area of responsibility by this coming weekend, possibly by Saturday or Sunday, then within Monday or Tuesday we believe it would recurve away from the country.)
However, Perez also noted that these are only initial scenarios, which may change depending on the LPA’s development. Still, he said that Pagasa sees a low chance of the possible storm making landfall and traversing the Visayas or Southern Luzon landmass.
Pagasa said that the eastern parts of Visayas and Mindanao may start feeling the trough of the LPA, by Tuesday or Wednesday, as the wind models indicate rainfall over these areas.
But the rest of the country from Monday to Tuesday would still experience the effects of the easterlies, or warm winds from the Pacific Ocean.
Due to this, warm and humid weather is expected around Luzon, as temperatures over Metro Manila may range from 24 to 34 degrees Celsius, 23 to 34 degrees in Tuguegarao, 23 to 33 degrees in Laoag, 25 to 32 degrees in Legazpi, 21 to 31 degrees in Tagaytay, and 26 to 33 degrees in Puerto Princesa.
Similar conditions are expected over Visayas and Mindanao for now, as Cebu and Tacloban may register temperatures of 25 to 33 degrees Celsius, 26 to 32 degrees for Iloilo, 24 to 32 degrees for Cagayan de Oro, 24 to 34 degrees in Zamboanga, and 24 to 33 degrees in Davao.
No gale warning has been raised in any part of the country but sea conditions Luzon’s waters would be moderate to rough, moderate for the eastern side of Visayas and Mindanao, and slight to moderate for the rest of the country.