The low pressure area (LPA) east of the country has already entered the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on, Oct. 18, Sunday afternoon and may develop into a tropical depression within 48 hours.
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) weather specialist Chris Perez said the LPA was at 1,035 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes around 4 p.m. on Sunday.
Based on the latest Global Spectral Model wind forecast, Perez said the LPA will move generally northwest towards the Luzon area within the next two to three days.
“We are also not ruling out the possibility that this weather disturbance may intensify into a tropical depression within 48 hours or before it comes close to the Luzon area,” he said.
PAGASA advised the public to continue monitoring updates regarding this new potential cyclone.
As early as Sunday, the trough or extension of the LPA was already expected to bring moderate to at times heavy rains over Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Northern Samar, West Samar, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, and Davao Occidental.
The northeasterly surface wind flow, or the slight breeze coming from the northeast and a precursor of the "amihan," will bring cloudy skies with moderate to at times heavy rains Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, Aurora, Quezon, Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Apayao, Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Pampanga, and Zambales.
Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan will have isolated light rains due to the northeasterly surface wind flow.
Meanwhile, the rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy but have a high chance of experiencing severe thunderstorms in the afternoon or evening.
A gale warning is in effect on Sunday over the northern, eastern, and western seaboards of Northern Luzon due to strong gale force winds associated with the northeasterly surface wind flow, causing rough to very rough sea conditions.
PAGASA warned that sea travel is risky over these areas, especially for those using small boats.