Pagasa: LPA unlikely to turn into tropical depression; Visayas, Mindanao to see rains

MANILA, Philippines — Despite having only a slim chance to turn into a storm, the low pressure area (LPA) east of the country may still bring light to moderate rains over Visayas and Mindanao, state meteorologists said.

Weather reports from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) on Thursday afternoon showed that the LPA was last seen 140 kilometers east of General Santos City.

While not expected to intensify as a tropical depression, Pagasa’s satellite images showed that cloud bands near the LPA almost entirely covers Bicol Region, Visayas, and Mindanao, bringing cloudy skies and rains from Thursday night to Friday.

“Para sa mga kababayan nating naninirahan dyan sa Visayas at Mindanao, especially do’n sa mga landslide at flood-prone areas, na maging alerto sa posibleng mga epekto ng mga pag-ulan na dala ng ating low pressure area,” weather specialist Raymond Ordinario said.

(For those living in Visayas and Mindanao, especially for those near landslide and flood-prone areas, we are reminding you to be alert for the possible effects of the rains brought by the low pressure area.)

Meanwhile, most parts of Luzon including Metro Manila would have a generally fair weather except for isolated rain showers, as only a weak northeast monsoon affects the area.

For Friday, temperatures in Metro Manila and Laoag are still slightly low at 22 to 32 degrees Celsius, Tuguegarao and Tagaytay with 21 to 29 degrees, Baguio with 13 to 24 degrees, Puerto Princesa with 24 to 32 degrees, and Legazpi with 24 to 28 degrees.

Visayas and Mindanao would also have cold weather due to the rains, as Iloilo and Cebu have temperatures of 24 to 29 degrees Celsius, Tacloban with 23 to 28 degrees, Cagayan de Oro with 22 to 29 degrees, Zamboanga with 24 to 31 degrees, and Davao with 23 to 31 degrees.

As of now, no gale warning has been raised in any part of the country’s seaboards.  However, Pagasa warned that sea condition may vary especially for the eastern seaboards of Visayas and Mindanao due to the LPA, and Luzon’s northern and eastern coasts because of the northeast monsoon.

JE