LPA may hit Mindanao, become cyclone in 24 hours

source: gmanetwork.com

A low-pressure area (LPA) off the southern Philippines may make landfall over Mindanao Monday night and intensify into a cyclone after crossing land, state weather forecasters said Monday morning.

PAGASA forecaster Connie Dadivas also warned of possible flash floods and landslides over Mindanao and the Leyte provinces in Eastern Visayas.

"Inaasahan natin baka mamayang gabi o bukas na madaling araw posible lalapit ito sa kalupaan at mag-cross ito for the next 24 hours," she said in an interview on dzBB radio.

"PAGASA is closely monitoring this LPA, which could intensify into a tropical depression and become the second cyclone for the year. However, as of 2 a.m., the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) has already classified this LPA as a tropical depression," said GMA resident meteorologist Nathaniel "Mang Tani" Cruz.

Possible cyclone

After it crosses land, the LPA has a good chance of becoming a cyclone, Dadivas said.

Once the LPA becomes a cyclone within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), it will be localy codenamed Bising.

"Inaasahan lalakas ito muli paglampas ng kalupaan," she said.

PAGASA's 5 a.m. bulletin said that as of 4 a.m., the LPA was estimated to be 300 km southeast of Mindanao and embedded along the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affecting Mindanao.

Northeast monsoon

It also said the northeast monsoon is still affecting Northern Luzon.

"Leyte provinces and Mindanao will have cloudy skies with moderate to heavy rain showers and thunderstorms which may trigger flash floods and landslides," it said.

It added Bicol region and the rest of Visayas will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers or thunderstorms.

Cagayan Valley will experience cloudy skies with light rain while Metro Manila and the rest of the Luzon will be partly cloudy with brief rain showers or thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast to north will prevail throughout the archipelago and the coastal waters will be moderate to rough.

Also, PAGASA warned strong to gale force winds may affect the seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon and the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon.

source: gmanetwork.com