LPA seen near PH; could trigger onset of rainy season

Source: Project Noah | 11:01 am, June 5, 2013

MANILA, Philippines–A low pressure area outside the Philippine territory is being monitored by the state weather bureau, and if it strengthens it could  trigger the onset of rainy season.

Aldczar Aurelio, weather forecaster from the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration, said the LPA was last spotted about 2,000 kilometers east of Mindanao.

The potential storm could enter the Philippine area of responsibility by weekend.

“Kung sakali, ito ang maghahatak sa habagat,” Aurelio told INQUIRER.net.

The “habagat,” or southwest monsoon is the prevailing weather system during rainy season.

Aurelio said the LPA could gain more strength because it was over an ocean.

Should it become a cyclone, it would be locally named “Dante.”

Meanwhile, an intertropical convergence zone is affecting Mindanao, Pagasa’s weather bulletin said.

“Visayas, Mindanao and Palawan will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms. Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will have partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms,” it said.

“Light to moderate winds blowing from the east to southeast will prevail over Luzon and coming from the east to northeast over Visayas and Mindanao. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate,” it added.