Rains expected in parts of Phl until weekend - PAGASA

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecasts rainy weather in several parts of the country for the next few days while a low pressure area (LPA) continues to affect the Visayas and Mindanao.

According to its 24-hour forecast and extended weather outlook issued on Tuesday, several cities and Metro Manila will have either cloudy skies with rainshowers or thunderstorms or cloudy skies with rains until Januaary 18, Saturday.

These cities include Baguio, Tagaytay, Puerto Princesa, Legazpi, Cebu and Zamboanga.

The typhoon-ravaged Tacloban City will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms on Saturday.

According to PAGASA, the LPA that has been dumping heavy rains in Mindanao was last located at 60 kilometers north of Butuan City on Tuesday morning.

The weather bureau said Mindanao and the regions of Bicol, Eastern and Central Visayas will experience cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms, which may trigger flashfloods and landslides.

Calabarzon, Mimaropa and the rest of Visayas will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorm while Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will be cloudy with isolated light rains.

In a phone-patch interview on Monday afternoon, PAGASA weather forecaster Gener Quitlong said based on forecast models, the LPA would  unlikely strengthen into a tropical cyclone.

However, he said the LPA may stay in the Visayas until Wednesday and would continue to bring rains.

The Philippine News Agency (PNA) also reported that according to PAGASA weather forecaster Glaiza Escullar the LPA will be stationary in position in the next two days as the northeast monsoon (Amihan) and high pressure area hinders its movement.

She added that the LPA has difficulty turning into a cyclone due to its interaction with the “cold” northeast monsoon.