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By Arlie O. Calalo
April 7, 2023
A new low pressure area (LPA) has been spotted outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and may enter the country over the weekend, the state-run weather agency said on Friday.
The LPA some 1, 620 kilometers east of Southern Mindanao, has a slim chance of developing into a tropical depression even if it is already inside the PAR, according to weather forecaster Benison Estareja of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
"By Monday, the weather disturbance will likely be over east of Mindanao before it goes to the direction of Caraga Region and by Tuesday until Thursday, this would pass through Eastern Visayas and Bicol Region until it crosses Central and Northern Luzon before it exits towards the Philippine Sea by Friday," Estareja said.
But another scenario, according to the Pagasa weatherman, is that the LPA may remain over east of Visayas over the forecast period before crossing east of Luzon from Tuesday until Thursday until it exits the PAR.
"So we'll continue monitoring the movement of this LPA outside PAR," he said.
Over the next 24 hours, the state weather bureau said the ridge or extension of the high pressure area (HPA) is affecting Northern Luzon.
"It means there would be less chance of rain showers and thunderstorms in this area, instead there would be hot and humid weather that may prevail," Estareja said.
Although there would be a generally-fair weather condition over Metro Manila and the rest of the country, Pagasa said these areas may still experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to the localized thunderstorms particularly during late afternoon or at night.
