‘LPA near Davao City may become a tropical depression’

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) yesterday spotted a low-pressure area near Davao City which could intensify into a tropical depression.

PAGASA forecaster Jun Galang said the band of clouds seen last Friday became a low-pressure area yesterday morning.

“There is a chance that it would develop into a tropical depression but maybe in three to four days because it is still gathering strength,” Galang added.

The low-pressure area will move in a southwest direction. If it becomes a tropical depression, it will be at the eastern side of Northern Luzon and will not make landfall.

In its 5 p.m. forecast yesterday, PAGASA said the low-pressure area was embedded along the intertropical convergence zone and was estimated at 345 kilometers east of Davao City.

The southwest monsoon is also affecting the western sections of Luzon and the Visayas.

The regions of Caraga, Davao, South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City will experience cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rainshowers and thunderstorms that might trigger flashfloods and landslides.

The Ilocos region, the Visayas, the rest of Mindanao and the provinces of Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Mindoro, and Palawan will be cloudy with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms.

Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.