A new low pressure area (LPA) has formed 180 kilometers (km) east of Guiuan, eastern Samar and it will bring rains over southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao in the next 24-hour period, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Thursday, Aug. 4.
This newly-formed weather disturbance remained less likely to develop into a tropical cyclone, but it is expected to bring rains over most of the Philippines.
“Within the next 24 hours ay mababa ang chance na itong LPA ay maging isang bagyo. Subalit ngayong araw ay magpapaulan po ito sa malaking bahagi ng southern Luzon, Visayas, and even parts of Mindanao (There is a low chance that this LPA will develop into a tropical cyclone in the next 24 hours. However, it will bring rains over most parts of southern Luzon, Visayas, and even parts of Mindanao today),” said PAGASA weather specialist Benison Estareja in a public weather forecast.
Estareja then added that as the LPA moves closer to the Philippine landmass, the possibility of it enhancing the southwest monsoon, locally called habagat, likewise increases.
“Itong habagat ang magpapaulan naman sa malaking bahagi pa rin ng southern Luzon, Visayas, at Mindanao hanggang weekend (The southwest monsoon will bring rains over parts of southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao until the weekend),” he said.
Meanwhile, due to the combined effects of the LPA and southwest monsoon, cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms may persist over Visayas, Bicol region, and Zamboanga Peninsula in the next 24 hours. Residents of these areas were warned against possible flash floods and landslides due to moderate to at times heavy rains.
Metro Manila and the rest of the country, on the other hand, may experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to southwest monsoon and localized thunderstorms.