The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Monday is tracking a new low pressure area (LPA) spotted over the Pacific Ocean which is projected to enter the country in the next two days.
In an interview, PAGASA weather forecaster Gener Quitlong said the LPA is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Wednesday.
He said once the LPA enters the country, it will bring light to moderate rains over Mindanao.
Since still in the sea, he noted the LPA has high chance to intensify into a tropical depression.
In case the LPA intensifies into a tropical depression, it will be named “Caloy,” the third cyclone to affect the country this year.
But for the next two to three days, Quitlong maintained that the country will continue to be spared from cyclones.
He said that until Wednesday, most parts of the country will have good weather condition.
Aside from partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains in the eastern sections of Mindanao due to wind convergence, the rest of the country will generally have sunny to partly cloudy skies with possible light rains in the afternoon or evening.
Quitlong still attributed the possible formation of localized convection or thunderstorm in Luzon and Metro Manila to the cold northeast monsoon that still affects these areas.
For Monday forecast, PAGASA said that the regions of Caraga and Northern Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with light rains and isolated thunderstorms.
It added that Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated light rains while the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.
PAGASA also said that moderate to strong winds from the northeast will prevail over Luzon, Eastern Visayas and Eastern Mindanao. The coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough.
Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate blowing from the northeast with slight to moderate seas.
The state weather bureau also issued gale warning as strong to gale-force winds associated with the northeast monsoon, will affect the the eastern seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon, of Visayas and of Mindanao.
“Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves,” it warned. PNA