Pagasa spots LPA off Davao City, says it may become a typhoon
MANILA, Philippines — A low-pressure area (LPA) was detected off Davao City on Friday, and it is likely to develop into a typhoon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.
Weather specialist Benison Estareja said the LPA formed inside the Philippine area of responsibility at around 2:00 a.m., and as of 3:00 am, it was 835 kilometers east of Davao City.
He noted that the LPA will be named “Ester” if it intensifies into a typhoon – the fifth to hit the country this year.
“Within the next 24 hours po, o hanggang bukas po ay inaasahang pa din itong maging isang low pressure area, o hindi pa magiging isang bagyo,” Estareja said in a public weather forecast.
(Within the next 24 hours or until tomorrow, it will still remain a low-pressure area and will not develop into a typhoon.)
“Subalit habang tinatawid o binabagtas itong silangang bahagi ng ating bansa, particularly the Philippine Sea, ay inaasahan na ito ay maging isang bagyo, base po sa pinapakita ng ating mga weather models. Kung saka-sakali po is papangalanan natin ito na Ester,” Estareja added.
(But while it crosses the eastern part of the country, particularly the Philippine Sea, it is expected to become a typhoon based on what the weather models show. If ever, this typhoon will be named Ester.)
Despite the LPA, the southwest monsoon (locally termed “habagat”) remains the dominant weather system in the country, bringing overcast skies and rains to most parts of the country, the state weather bureau said.
The monsoon is expected to make skies cloudy over Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan), Cagayan, Isabela, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, and Zamboanga Peninsula on Friday. These areas may also experience scattered rain showers and thunderstorms, Pagasa said.
READ: Rainy Friday in Metro Manila, other parts of PH due to habagat
As for the rest of the country, the weather may be fair with partly cloudy to cloudy skies and isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
Pagasa did not raise a gale warning on any seaboards nationwide, Estareja said.
RELATED STORY
Pagasa: Two storms expected to enter PH next week
