Low pressure area may become cyclone Thursday or Friday

MANILA – The active low pressure area (Alpa) spotted in Eastern Samar continues to intensify and is expected to become a tropical depression by Thursday or Friday, the weather bureau said.

Weather forecaster Boy Soriaga said on Tuesday that once Alpa becomes a cyclone, it will be called "Dindo," the fourth cyclone to hit the country this year.

Soriaga said the Alpa was estimated based on satellite and surface data at 750 kilometers east northeast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

He said the weather disturbance may also enhance the southwest monsoon, affecting Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, which will experience scattered rainshowers.

Possible flash floods and landslides threaten over Bicol Region, Palawan, Eastern Visayas and Northern Mindanao due to widespread rains.

Metro Manila will still experience partly cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers, he said.

In its advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers and thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds from the southwest to south will prevail over Northern and Central Luzon and coming from the southwest to west over Southern Luzon and Visayas.

Coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough, Pagasa said.

Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the southwest, and seas will be slight to moderate, it said. (PNA/Sunnex)