LPA to bring rains over Bicol, Eastern Visayas

MANILA, Philippines - A low-pressure area off the Pacific Ocean continued to approach the Philippine area of responsibility and is expected to dump rains over the eastern section of the country this weekend, the state weather bureau said yesterday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) spotted the low-pressure area at 2,560 kilometers east of Mindanao at noon yesterday.

The Japan Meteorological Agency has categorized the low-pressure area as a tropical depression.

PAGASA marine meteorological services section chief Rene Paciente said the weather disturbance is expected to enter the country on Friday or Saturday and develop into a tropical depression during the weekend.

Rains from the low-pressure area would be initially experienced in the Bicol region and Eastern Visayas, he added.

PAGASA also said the tail-end of a cold front would continue to affect the eastern section of Northern and Central Luzon, while the northeast monsoon would still prevail over extreme Northern Luzon.

Cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms will be experienced over the Bicol region, Eastern Visayas and the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora and Quezon until today.

Cloudy skies with light rains are also expected over the rest of the Cagayan Valley region, while partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains will be experienced over the regions of Ilocos and Cordillera.

Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms will prevail over Metro Manila and the rest of the country.

PAGASA also warned fishermen about big waves in the northern seaboard of Northern Luzon due to the northeast monsoon.

PAGASA issued yesterday a gale warning over Batanes, Calayan, Babuyan and the northern coasts of Ilocos Norte. Rough to very rough seas would prevail over these areas with wave heights expected to reach 3.4 to 4.5 meters.