Pagasa satellite photo of approaching low pressure area taken Tuesday at 10 a.m.
MANILA, Philippines — The center of the low pressure area (LPA) east of Mindanao has yet to enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) and yet its outer bands are already bringing rain over the Visayas and Mindanao.
The wet weather which is also affecting Leyte province comes ahead of a visit of Pope Francis to Tacloban City on January 17.
“Eastern and Central Visayas and Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rains with possible occurrence of thunderstorms,” the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Tuesday.
According to Pagasa, the LPA was last observed 1,990 kilometers east of Mindanao and was expected to enter the PAR on Thursday.
The weather bureau is closely monitoring the weather system which may strengthen as it travels over water towards the Philippines.
Pagasa earlier gave the three scenarios for the LPA: It could intensify into a tropical cyclone, dissipate, or change course towards Japan.
Meanwhile, the northeast monsoon or amihan continues to affect Luzon.
“Cagayan Valley and Cordillera will have cloudy skies with light rain,” Pagasa said.
Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to at times cloudy with isolated light rains.
The rest of Visayas will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.
Moderate to strong winds from the northeast will prevail over Luzon and the Visayas, and winds from the northeast to the north will blow over Mindanao which will have moderate to rough seas, Pagasa said.
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