Low-pressure area may intensify into cyclone

MANILA, Philippines - A low-pressure area entered the Philippine area of responsibility yesterday and was expected to intensity into a tropical cyclone in the next 24 hours, state weather forecasters said.

The weather system could trigger the onset of the rainy season associated with the southwest monsoon this week, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

PAGASA spotted the low-pressure area at 260 kilometers north northeast of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte or at 70 km west of Basco, Batanes as of 4 p.m. yesterday.

The regions of Ilocos, Cordillera, Central Luzon and Metro Manila will experience occasional rains, PAGASA said.

Cagayan Valley will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms.

The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

PAGASA said the northern and western sections of Luzon will have moderate to rough seas.

PAGASA weather forecaster Buddy Javier said the low-pressure area has a good chance of intensifying into a cyclone.

It would be named “Ester” once it develops into a tropical depression, Javier said.

Meanwhile, Javier said the agency will officially declare the onset of the rainy season once the southwest monsoon is fully established and the required rainfall amount in at least five out of eight PAGASA stations is reached.

PAGASA must register at least 25 millimeters of rain in five out of eight stations for three consecutive days.

The stations are in Laoag, Ilocos Norte; Vigan, Ilocos Sur; Dagupan, Pangasinan; Iba, Zambales; San Jose, Mindoro; Metro Manila; Ambulong, Batangas and Iloilo.

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

Fishermen warned

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) yesterday advised fishermen in Northern Luzon to get updates on the low-pressure area that has entered the country.

PCG spokesman Commander Armand Balilo said their commandant, Vice Admiral Rodolfo Isorena, has issued a directive to the concerned districts and stations to be vigilant in monitoring the weather.

He said fishermen have also been told not to sail toward the direction of the low-pressure area.  – With Evelyn Macairan