PAGASA: LPA outside Phl now a cyclone

MANILA, Philippines — The low pressure area hovering east of the Philippines has developed into a tropical depression, the state weather bureau said before Thursday evening.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in a weather advisory that the cyclone was last located at 990 kilometers east of Northern Mindanao.

It is packed with maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour and is forecast to remain almost stationary.

The tropical depression will be named "Henry" once it enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility.

It will not yet affect any part of the country just yet, PAGASA said.

Meantime, Metro Manila and the provinces of La Union, Benguet, Pangasinan, Bataan, Zambales, Palawan and Mindoro will have occasional rains.

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

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest to south prevail over Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to rough.

Elsewhere, light to moderate winds blowing from the south to southwest will prevail with slight to moderate seas. Winds coming from the southwest will prevail over the rest of the country with moderate to rough seas.