Cloudy skies, rain to persist in Mindanao due to LPA’s trough

MANILA, Philippines — Overcast skies with rain are expected to continue in Mindanao and parts of Visayas on Friday due to the trough of a low-pressure area (LPA) outside the Philippine area of responsibility, the state weather bureau said.

As of 2:00 a.m., the  LPA was located 310 kilometers south of Zamboanga City, according to Benison Estareja, a Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) weather specialist.

“Maulang panahon pa din ang mararanasan ng ating mga kababayan sa Mindanao dulot ng trough or extension ng low pressure area na nasa labas ng Philippine area of responsibility,” he said during a Friday morning weather report.

(Our compatriots in Mindanao will still experience rainy weather due to the trough or extension of the low-pressure area outside the Philippine area of ​​responsibility.)

Estareja also said that the LPA’s trough will bring cloudy skies with rain showers and thunderstorms to Central Visayas, Negros Occidental, and Southern Leyte.

READ: Just 1 tropical cyclone seen in Feb or none at all – Pagasa

Estareja noted that the LPA is unlikely to become a tropical cyclone and is expected to dissipate this weekend.

“Within 24 hours, inaasahan natin na kikilos [itong LPA] westward…papalapit dito sa may Sabah, Malaysia at posibleng malusaw na din  po over the weekend,” he said.

(Within 24 hours, we expect [this LPA] to move westward…approaching the area of ​​Sabah, Malaysia, and it may dissolve over the weekend.)

Meanwhile, the northeast monsoon (locally known as amihan) will influence the weather in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon and Visayas on Friday. Pagasa said these areas may experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers and thunderstorms.

The state weather agency, however, considered Friday’s climate in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon and Visayas to be generally fair.

“Humihina na po ito at inaasahan ang mahihinang pag-ulan sa silangang bahagi,” Estareja said, referring to the northeast monsoon.

(It is weakening, and light rains are expected in the eastern part.)

Pagasa did not issue a gale alert over any seaboards of the country on Friday.