LPA likely to dissipate within 24 hours

MANILA, Philippines - Some parts of the Philippines will continue to experience cloudy skies with rainshowers in the next three days due to three weather systems affecting the country, state meteorologists said yesterday.

Aldczar Aurelio, weather forecaster of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said a low-pressure area will continue to bring light to moderate rains over the eastern section of Mindanao, particularly Caraga region, Eastern Visayas, and Central Luzon.

But he said the low-pressure area, which was spotted at 150 kilometers east of Zamboanga City at 4 p.m. yesterday, is unlikely to develop into a tropical cyclone.

“It is expected to dissipate within the next 24 hours,” Aurelio told reporters.

However, he said another developing low-pressure area could enter the Philippine area of responsibility today.

“We don’t expect any of these low-pressure areas to intensify into cyclones as of this time. The cold weather in the country is not conducive to tropical cyclone formation,” he said.

Aside from the low-pressure area, Aurelio said the tail-end of a cold front and the northeast monsoon are also expected to bring rains in some parts of Luzon.

Light rains will prevail over the regions of Cagayan Valley, Cordillera and Ilocos, due to the northeast monsoon.

The northeast monsoon brings dry and cool air in the Philippines from October to February.

The rest of the country, including Metro Manila, would have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms, Aurelio said.

He also warned the public against rough seas in Batanes, Calayan, Babuyan, Cagayan, Isabela, Ilocos, La Union and Pangasinan due to the surge of the northeast monsoon.

He said waves of up to 3.4 to 4.5 meters are expected in the coastal waters of the said areas in the next 24 hours.