Brace for more rains because of the prevalence of two rain-inducing weather systems in the country, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Friday afternoon, April 8.
As of 3 p.m., the low pressure area (LPA) inside the country’s area of responsibility was estimated at 185 kilometers east-northeast of Surigao City, Surigao del Norte and embedded within the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ).
Weather specialist Raymond Ordinario said PAGASA is still not ruling out the possible intensification of the LPA into a tropical depression.
In the next 24 hours, cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to the LPA and ITCZ may prevail over Visayas, Caraga, Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, and Quezon province.
Meanwhile, the northeasterly surface wind flow will bring cloudy skies and rains over Cagayan Valley, Apayao, Kalinga, Ifugao, Mountain Province, and Aurora.
PAGASA advised the public to stay vigilant due to the possibility of flash floods and landslides during moderate to heavy rains.
Moreover, the northeasterly surface wind flow may bring partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains over Ilocos Region, Abra, and Benguet.
Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or localized thunderstorms.
Meanwhile, the tropical cyclone at 2,215 kilometers east of Mindanao remained outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) as of 3 p.m.
However, it has intensified into a tropical storm and was given an international name, “Malakas.”
Ordinario said the storm may enter the PAR by Monday or Tuesday, April 11 or April 12.
Based on latest analysis, the tropical depression, as well as the LPA, will likely be the major weather systems that may bring rains over Visayas and Mindanao in the coming week.