LPA inside PAR likely to become a cyclone

Image from Pagasa

MANILA, Philippines — A low-pressure area (LPA) within the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) may develop into a tropical cyclone on Thursday, according to state meteorologists.

As of 3 a.m. Wednesday, the LPA was spotted 370 kilometers north-northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, said Loriedin De La Cruz, weather specialist of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

“Based on our analysis, there is a high chance of it becoming a tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours,” De La Cruz said in a weather forecast.

READ: LPA spotted off Batanes

Once it strengthens into a tropical depression, Pagasa will name it Salome—the 19th cyclone to enter the country this year.

Pagasa said Salome will generally move southwestward and has a high likelihood of making landfall in Batanes by Wednesday night or early Thursday morning before approaching Ilocos Norte.

While no tropical cyclone currently affects the country, the intertropical convergence zone will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Mindanao, Southern Leyte, Cebu, Bohol, and Siquijor, Pagasa said in its 4 a.m. forecast.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of the country can expect fair weather with partly cloudy to cloudy skies and isolated rain showers or thunderstorms./mcm