Rainy Friday in Most Parts of PHL

Many parts of the country will continue to experience cloudy and rainy weather on Friday due to the effects of the low pressure area (LPA) and southwest monsoon, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

In an interview, PAGASA weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said the LPA will continue to affect most parts of Luzon including Metro Manila until Saturday, bringing cloudy skies with light to occasionally heavy rains in these areas.

Aurelio said that as of 4 a.m. the LPA was spotted some 240 km east of Baler, Aurora (15.5ºN, 124.0ºE).

Aurelio said the LPA still has “slim chance” to become a tropical depression in the next 24 hours.

Should the LPA develop into a tropical depression, it will be named “Florita” — the second cyclone to enter the country this month and the sixth for this year.

PAGASA expects two to three cyclones to visit the country this month.

On Friday evening, he said the LPA was expected to cross over Northern Luzon’s landmass.

After crossing the land, he said they expect the LPA to weaken and later dissipates.

If not, he said the LPA may intensify into a cyclone when it reaches the sea and already out of the country’s area of responsibility.

Aside from the LPA, Aurelio said the southwest monsoon will also contribute to the cloudy and rainy weather over Metro Manila and the western sections of Luzon and Visayas.

He said the rest of the Visayas as well as Mindanao will have partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rains due to localized thunderstorms.

He said they expect the LPA to enhance the southwest monsoon for the next two days that will continue to bring rains over the western section of Luzon including Metro Manila until Saturday.

He said other areas in Luzon, particularly near the northern tip, are still expected to have light to moderate rains due to the LPA.

On weekend, he said Visayas and Mindanao will generally have good weather condition aside from possible passing rains due to localized thunderstorms.

For Friday forecast, PAGASA said Metro Manila, the Regions of Ilocos, Cordillera, Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon will have moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms which may trigger flashfloods and landslides.

The rest of Luzon and Western Visayas will experience light to moderate rains and thunderstorms while the rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

It added moderate to strong winds coming from the southwest to west will prevail over Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to rough.

Light to moderate winds blowing from the southwest will prevail over the rest of the country with slight to moderate seas. (PNA)
JBP/CLTC