Pagasa: LPA outside PAR develops into tropical depression

MANILA, Philippines — The low-pressure area (LPA) that Pagasa had been monitoring outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) has developed into a tropical depression and may enter the country’s monitoring zone in the coming days, the state weather bureau said Monday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its 5 p.m. weather forecast that the tropical depression was last located 2,645 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas.

It had maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 75 kph while moving west-southwestward at 35 kph.

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READ: LPA forms outside PAR, not expected to affect PH Monday

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Pagasa weather specialist Charmagne Varilla said the system could change direction in the next few hours or days.

“Based on the scenario we are seeing, it may move toward the northeast or northwest in the coming hours or days. If this happens, we are not ruling out the possibility that it could enter our Philippine Area of Responsibility,” Varilla said in Filipino.

If it enters PAR, the tropical depression will be named Queenie, making it the 17th tropical cyclone in the Philippines this year.

Varilla, however, said the tropical depression has a low chance of making landfall or affecting any part of the country.

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Pagasa is also monitoring two possible LPAs that could develop on either side of PAR by next week.

Isolated rains over Luzon

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The easterlies will continue to affect extreme Northern Luzon, bringing isolated rain showers and thunderstorms over Batanes and the Babuyan Islands.

The rest of Luzon is expected to have generally fair weather, although localized thunderstorms may still occur, particularly in the afternoon.

Temperatures could reach 24 C to 33 C in Tuguegarao, 24 C to 32 C in Metro Manila and 25 C to 32 C in Legazpi and Tagaytay, according to Pagasa.

Palawan, the Visayas and Mindanao will likewise generally experience fair weather, with isolated rain showers and thunderstorms possible, particularly in the afternoon or evening.

Temperatures in much of Mindanao are expected to range from 25 C to 32 C, while Puerto Princesa could reach 25 C to 33 C and Iloilo 25 C to 32 C.

No gale warning was raised over the country’s coastal waters as of Monday afternoon.

Habagat to return Wednesday

The weather pattern in parts of the country is expected to shift Wednesday as the southwest monsoon, or habagat, returns, bringing rain to large parts of the Visayas through Friday, according to Pagasa.

In Mindanao, the returning habagat is expected to bring scattered rains to Zamboanga City, the Zamboanga Peninsula, parts of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and other areas of Northern Mindanao.

Pagasa advised residents in these areas to remain alert for periods of heavy rain associated with the southwest monsoon.

Much of Mindanao, meanwhile, will remain hot and humid, with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms still possible.

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No gale warning was raised over the country’s coastal waters as of Monday afternoon. /dm