Thunderstorms Loom Over Philippines Due to LPA and Monsoon

A low pressure area (LPA) and the prevailing southwest monsoon may cause thunderstorms in many areas of the country in the next 24 hours, raising the risk of flooding and landslides, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Friday. The trough, or extension, of the LPA may cause thunderstorms over the Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, and Cagayan Valley, PAGASA said in its 4:00 p.m. weather forecast. PAGASA warned of possible flooding and landslides due to moderate to occasionally heavy rains. The LPA affecting these areas was last located 1,005 kilometers (km) west of Southwestern Luzon as of 2:00 p.m. and still has a medium chance of developing into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours. Another LPA is also being monitored outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility and is located 3,035 km east of Eastern Visayas. PAGASA earlier said that the LPA has a chance of entering PAR over the weekend and is also not ruling out the possibility that it may move near Luzon. Meanwhile, the prevailing southwest monsoon is also expected to bring thunderstorms over Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Western Visayas, and Northern Samar in the next 24 hours. PAGASA also warned of flooding and landslides over these areas. The rest of the country may also be affected by localized thunderstorms, despite the effects of the southwest monsoon being expected to weaken.— Edg Adrian A. Eva