Good weather seen over long weekend, but…

MANILA, Philippines—Fair weather is expected over the long weekend, but a low pressure area  off Aparri, Cagayan, may yet spoil the picnic, according to the state weather bureau.

At 8 a.m. Saturday, the low pressure area was located 355 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

The Japan Meteorological Agency, however, classified the weather disturbance as a tropical depression, packing maximum winds of 54 kilometers per hour near the center and gusting up to 82.8 kph.

In an advisory, Pagasa said the new weather system will bring scattered rain showers and thunderstorms to Northern and Central Luzon, becoming widespread in Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino and Aurora, which may trigger flash floods and landslides.

But the rest of  the country will see partly cloudy  to cloudy weather with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, Pagasa said. Moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest to west will prevail over Northern Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to rough, it said.

“Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the southwest to west with slight to moderate seas,” Pagasa said.

In a statement, Science and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo said Pagasa’s five-day weather outlook indicated that a weak southwest monsoon will be the dominant weather system to affect the country in the next five days, from August18 to 22.

“This means generally good weather condition, except for isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon or evening,” he said.

By Sunday, however, Montejo said, the low pressure area observed east of Luzon “will cause a southwesterly wind flow over the country, bringing light to moderate rains in Northern and Central Luzon and Mindanao beginning Sunday until Wednesday.”

“We anticipate a generally sunny, fair weather for the long weekend ahead, the best time to resume our usual weekend activities at home or elsewhere with our family and friends,” he said.

Montejo added, “It is also the best time to do and hang the laundry, and wash off the mud and dirt that built up during the recent monsoon rain and (tropical storm) Helen,” which exited Thursday.