By Marjaleen Ramos
The low pressure area (LPA) being monitored within the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) has developed into a tropical depression early Tuesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported.
As of 4 a.m. Tuesday, the tropical depression was located 610 km west southwest of Iba, Zambales. It has maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 55 kph.
Pagasa also said that it is monitoring an active tropical cyclone outside the PAR as of 3 a.m. Tuesday.
Meanwhile, severe tropical storm "Halong" was spotted at 3,180 km east of extreme Northern Luzon with maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 170 kph and moving in the northwest direction at 15 kph.
Cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms will prevail over the Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, and Cagayan Valley Region due to the frontal system.
Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Cavite, and Batangas will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to the trough of the tropical depression.
Metro Manila and the rest of the country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to a localized thunderstorm.
PAGASA advised the public and the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Offices concerned to continue monitoring the weather condition.