Pagasa still monitoring LPA east of Mindanao as Habagat brings rains to western PH

MANILA, Philippines — The low-pressure area (LPA) east of Mindanao is still being monitored by state meteorologists at it is expected to spend some time above water before entering the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) updates as of 5:00 p.m., there is a low chance that the LPA, last located 975 kilometers south of Hinatuan in Surigao del Sur, would develop into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours.

However, Pagasa said they are not discounting such possibilities since it would hover over waters east of Mindanao in the coming days.

“Sa loob ng 24 oras ay hindi po natin ito inaasahan na magiging isang bagyo ngunit hindi po natin inaalis ‘yong possibility dahil kung makikita po natin, ay nasa karagatan pa po ito kaya posible pa po itong makakuha ng lakas upang maging isang ganap na bagyo,” weather specialist Ana Clauren said.

(In the next 24 hours we are not expecting the LPA to become a storm, but we are not discounting the possibility because if we can see the satellite imagery, the LPA is still over the seas which means it may garner the strength to be a full-fledged cyclone.)

“Kaya patuloy tayong mag-monitor sa mga update natin na inilalabas ng Pagasa,” she added.

(That’s why the public should continue monitoring updates from Pagasa.)

Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon or Habagat would continue to bring rains on the western side of the country, from the Ilocos Region down to Bataan, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, and up to the Zamboanga peninsula.

Pagasa also noted that Tropical Storm Higos, formerly known in the country as Tropical Depression Helen, has no direct effect on the country’s weather systems as it continues to move away from the PAR.

Weather in Luzon is seen to gradually improve as Pagasa expects temperatures of 24 to 32 degrees Celsius in Metro Manila and Laoag, while occasional rains may bring it to as low as 25 degrees in Legazpi and Puerto Princesa.

Temperatures in Cebu may play around 25 to 31 degrees Celsius; 25 to 30 degrees in Tacloban which will be affected by the trough of the LPA, while it may peak at 32 degrees in Davao City and Zamboanga. [ac]