Two low pressure areas (LPAs) are being monitored as the southwest monsoon brings heavy rainfall to three areas and thunderstorms to parts of the country, raising a risk of flooding and landslides, according to the state weather bureau on Friday.
The nearer LPA was located 1,040 kilometers west of Southwestern Luzon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 10:00 a.m. tropical cyclone formation outlook.
The LPA has a medium chance of developing into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours. PAGASA said the LPA may steer the southwest monsoon away from the country, causing less rainfall over the mainland.
The farther and more recently developed LPA was located 2,875 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas and is unlikely to develop into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours.
The LPA may enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) over the weekend and may even move near Luzon.
Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon is expected to affect fewer areas in the next 24 hours, based on PAGASA’s 11:00 a.m. advisory.
Heavy downpours, or rainfall between 50 and 100 millimeters, are only expected in Pangasinan, Zambales and Bataan until Saturday noon.
The southwest monsoon may also cause thunderstorms in Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Western Visayas, and Northern Samar in the next 24 hours, PAGASA said in its 4:00 a.m. weather forecast.
PAGASA no longer issued a heavy rainfall outlook for the weekend. — Edg Adrian A. Eva