LPA enters the Philippines, may develop into cyclone

MANILA, Philippines — A low-pressure area (LPA) east of Visayas has entered the Philippine area of responsibility and will start enhancing the southwest monsoon today and bring rains over Luzon, including Metro Manila, in the next three days.

As of 3 p.m. yesterday, the low-pressure area was located at 980 km east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

PAGASA senior weather specialist Gener Quitlong said the weather system is expected to develop into a tropical cyclone within the next 48 hours. It will be given the local name Falcon.

The low-pressure area started bringing scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over the Bicol region, Mimaropa, Visayas and Mindanao yesterday.

Beginning Monday, the trough or extension of the low pressure area and the southwest monsoon will bring cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms over Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon.

Warm temperature, however, will persist in the metropolis, ranging from 24 to 32 degrees Celsius.

Cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and scattered thunderstorms will still prevail over Eastern Visayas and Mindanao today, PAGASA said.

The water level at Angat remained below critical. It dipped further to 159.15 meters at 6 a.m. Sunday from 159.45 meters on Saturday.

PAGASA hydrologists earlier said rains from the low pressure area-enhanced southwest monsoon are expected to replenish Angat dam this week.