Potential cyclone may make landfall over Central or Northern Luzon — PAGASA
LPA could intensity into tropical depression 'Ramil' within 24 to 36 hours
PAGASA
The low-pressure area (LPA) east of Visayas now has a “high chance” of developing into a tropical depression within the next 24 to 36 hours and could make landfall over Central or Northern Luzon in the coming days, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Thursday, Oct. 16.
As of 10 a.m., the weather disturbance was spotted 1,355 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas.
PAGASA weather specialist Loriedin de la Cruz-Galicia said the low-pressure area (LPA) is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday. If it develops into a tropical depression, it will be named “Ramil.”
“Based on the latest projections, its general movement is west-northwestward, so the landfall scenario is between the Cagayan-Isabela area,” De la Cruz-Galicia said.
“However, we are not ruling out the possibility of a more southward track that could bring it closer to the Bicol Region before heading toward parts of Central and Northern Luzon,” she added.
De la Cruz-Galicia said the LPA remains far from the country and has no direct effect on any part of the Philippines as of Thursday morning.
She urged the public to continue monitoring PAGASA’s updates, as forecast uncertainties remain high since the system is still far from the country and remains an LPA.
Over the next 24 hours, easterlies, or warm winds from the Pacific Ocean, will bring cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms over Metro Manila, the Visayas, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Aurora, Bulacan, and Isabela.
Meanwhile, the northeasterly wind flow will bring partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and Ilocos Norte.
The rest of Luzon and Mindanao will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to localized thunderstorms and the prevailing easterlies.
PAGASA advised the public to remain alert for possible flash floods and landslides, particularly during moderate to heavy rainfall or severe thunderstorms.