Pagasa warns low pressure area could intensify into storm

MANILA, Philippines—A low-pressure off Mindanao threatens to develop into a tropical cyclone to be named “Jolina,” the state weather bureau said on Saturday.

As of early Saturday morning, the low pressure area embedded in the intertropical convergence zone was predicted to bring heavy rains to large swaths of the Visayas and Mindanao, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

Forecasters warned of possible flash floods and landslides in the Visayas and the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga and Davao.

As of 4 a.m. the low pressure area was observed at 250 kilometers east of Davao City, Pagasa said in a bulletin.

Pagasa forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said the weather disturbance was likely to move in a northwesterly direction, heading for the eastern parts of the Visayas and Mindanao.

Since it was still over the sea, there was  a possibility the low pressure area would turn into a tropical cyclone, the 10th to enter the Philippine area of responsibility this year, he said.

According to Pagasa’s weather outlook for Sunday, Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Bicol region and the rest of Mindanao will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms.

Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, it added.

Light to moderate winds blowing from the southwest to west will prevail over Palawan, the Visayas and Mindanao, and winds coming from the northeast to southeast over the rest of Luzon, Pagasa said.

Coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate, it said.