LPA spotted east of Samar; Moderate to heavy rains over Eastern Visayas, Caraga

GRAPHICS FROM PAGASA_DOST

MANILA, Philippines — A low pressure area (LPA) was spotted east of Samar as state meteorologists warned residents of Eastern Visayas and Caraga about moderate to heavy rains due to the LPA and cloud bands surrounding it.

Weather reports on Saturday afternoon from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that the LPA was last located 165 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

Satellite imaging also showed that thick cloud bands surround most of the country, as the tail end of a frontal system — or the area where cold winds from the northeast monsoon and warm easterlies meet — moved lower beside Bicol Region.

Eastern parts of the country, including Bicol, Eastern Visayas, and Caraga and some parts of Southern Luzon and Central Visayas are advised to take precautionary measures as flash floods may occur in low-lying areas from Saturday to Sunday, as well as landslides for those near mountain slopes.

In the same manner, a huge part of Luzon still experiences the effects of the northeast monsoon or amihan, which brings colder weather and occasional light rains over Northern Luzon and Cagayan Valley.

As of now, Pagasa does not expect the LPA to intensify as a tropical depression, but it reminded people especially in Visayas that the LPA may move closer and bring a substantial amount of rainfall.

Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon may see a generally fair weather on Sunday but still with lower than usual temperatures due to the existing systems, ranging from 23 to 30 degrees Celsius; it would play around 19 to 28 degrees in Tuguegarao, 21 to 28 degrees in Laoag, 15 to 24 degrees Baguio City, and 24 to 28 degrees in Legazpi and Palawan.

Temperatures across Visayas would range from 25 to 30 degrees as cloudy weather would still prevail, whereas Mindanao would see fairer skies with temperatures in Davao hovering between 24 to 32 degrees, and 23 to 31 degrees in Cagayan de Oro.

Fewer areas are under the gale warning as of Saturday, but it still includes the western seaboards from Ilocos Region to Central Luzon, the northern waters including those surrounding Batanes and Babuyan Islands, and the whole eastern coast of Luzon plus waters north and east of Eastern Visayas.

This means that fisherfolk using small boats are not allowed to set sail in these areas as sea condition would range from rough to very rough.

CFC