As mercury rises, rain clouds hover over Mindanao

MTSAT ENHANCED-IR Satellite Image 4 a.m., 02 April 2013

MANILA, Philippines—While the heat is on in Metro Manila and the rest of the country, a low pressure area (LPA) is expected to bring rains to Mindanao, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

Pagasa forecaster Fernando Cada said the estimated location of the LPA is at 820 kilometers southeast of General Santos City as of 4 p.m.

Cada told the Inquirer that the cluster of clouds hovering over Mindanao brought light to moderate rains over the region yesterday.

He said Hinatuan in Surigao del Sur registered on Monday an average 36 mm amount of rainfall in three hours.

The weather forecaster said rains in Mindanao are anticipated to be light to moderate until late afternoon.

The LPA is not expected to intensify into a tropical cyclone, he added.

“Based on our analysis, there is little chance for the LPA to develop into a tropical cyclone because of its mild winds and the atmospheric pressure is not enough for it to intensify,” he said.

Cada added that Metro Manila and the rest of the country will continue to enjoy generally good weather.

In its 5 p.m. forecast, Pagasa said Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms while Metro Manila and the rest of the country is anticipated to have partly cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, mostly in the afternoon or evening.—Jeannette I. Andrade