LPA becomes tropical cyclone

MANILA, Philippines - A low-pressure area near Iba, Zambales developed into a tropical depression yesterday and was given the name Karding, the state weather bureau said.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Karding was estimated at 400 kilometers west northwest of Iba with maximum winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center and moving west-northwest at 7 kph.

PAGASA said Karding would not affect any part of the country and is expected to be 550 km west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur this afternoon, or out of the Philippine area of responsibility.

Western Visayas, Northern Mindanao, the Caraga region, Zamboanga Peninsula and the provinces of Palawan, Ilocos Norte, Abra and Apayao will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or night.

Light to moderate winds blowing from the southwest to south would prevail over the western section of Luzon and coming from the south to southwest over the rest of the country.