MANILA, Philippines — A shallow low-pressure area (LPA) east of the country is not expected to intensify and develop into a tropical cyclone, but state meteorologists have warned that it may bring rains over Mindanao by Monday.
Weather updates from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) on Friday night showed that the LPA is still outside the Philippine area of responsibility, last seen at 1,625 kilometers east of Mindanao.
While it may not progress as a tropical depression, Pagasa said since the LPA will cross Mindanao then move towards the Sulu Sea, cloudy skies with rains may be expected in several areas in Mindanao starting Monday.
“Maliit pa rin ang tsansa na maging bagyo ang nasabing low-pressure area, ngunit ito ay lalapit dito sa Mindanao area by Monday to Tuesday, at inaasahan natin na magkakaroon ng masungit [at] maulang panahanon, at ito’y bababaybay papunta rito sa Sulu Sea, at magpapaulan naman ‘yan dito sa Palawan area pagdating ng Huwebes o Miyerkules,” weather specialist Raymond Ordinario said.
(There is still just a low chance that this low-pressure area develops into a cyclone, but as it moves near the Mindanao area between Monday and Tuesday, we expect it to bring gloomy weather and rains over the area. The LPA would then move towards the Sulu Sea and bring rains over the Palawan area by Wednesday or Thursday.)
Meanwhile, several eastern portions of Luzon, particularly Cagayan Valley, Bicol Region, parts of Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Mimaropa would experience cloudy skies and rains over the weekend due to the northeast monsoon or amihan, and the shear line east of Isabela province.
As a result, forecast temperatures over eastern towns like Legazpi and Tuguegarao would be colder at 24 to 29 degrees Celsius and 22 to 28 degrees, respectively. Over the western side, the weather would still be relatively cold in the night and early morning, as Laoag would have something around 21 to 30 degrees, Metro Manila with 24 to 30 degrees, and Puerto Princesa with 24 to 32 degrees.
For Visayas and Mindanao, weather would still be fair except for isolated rain showers and thunderstorms. Tacloban would have temperatures of 24 to 31 degrees Celsius, while Cebu and Iloilo would have something around 25 to 31 degrees; Zamboanga with 23 to 32 degrees, Davao with 24 to 32 degrees, and Cagayan de Oro with 23 to 30 degrees.
Pagasa said that a gale warning remains raised over the waters surrounding Batanes and Babuyan Islands, along with the northern coastlines of Ilocos Norte, Cagayan province, and the coast of Casiguran, Aurora, still due to the northeast monsoon.