Pagasa monitoring low pressure area outside PAR, near Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines – A low pressure area (LPA) near Mindanao but outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) is being monitored by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

According to its PAGASA’s latest forecast on Tuesday, LPA, currently spotted 1,110 kilometers east southeast of Mindanao, can bring rains in the region.  However, it has a low chance of becoming a tropical depression.

It is expected to enter PAR in the coming days, as the inter tropical convergence zone causes rains and thunderstorms in Mindanao.  Rains may also occur near the extreme northern part of Luzon due to the northeasterly surface wind flow.

“For the rest of Luzon, the localized thunderstorms will continue, especially during the afternoon and by night, and if we would take a look at the temperature range in Metro Manila and Tagaytay, we would expect that it would still be hot by tomorrow,” weather specialist Samuel Duran said in Filipino.

“In Mindanao, based on our weather icons, we are expecting rains due to the presence of the ITCZ near Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, South Cotabato, Sarangani, so we expect scattered rains in that area,” he added.

Meanwhile, the heat index for several areas has surpassed 40ºC. Among other places, high temperatures were recorded in San Jose in Occidental Mindoro at 51ºC and the Science City of Muñoz in Nueva Ecija and Sangley Point in Cavite at 43ºC.

Due to the surface wind flow up north, a gale warning has been raised in the northern Luzon seaboards, specifically in Batanes, Calayan, the northern coast of Cagayan, Babuyan Islands, and Ilocos Norte.  Fisherfolk using small boats in these areas are not allowed to set sail as the sea may be rough.

The condition at Luzon’s eastern seas would be rough, while it may be moderate to rough on the western side.  It would be moderate on the Visayas and Mindanao’s eastern seas, and slight to moderate for the rest of the country.

/atm