New low pressure area spotted in Mindanao

MANILA – A new low pressure area (LPA) spotted east of Mindanao and the southwest monsoon will continue to bring rains over Luzon and Visayas, the state weather bureau said on Monday.

Weather forecaster Jori Loiz said the LPA was estimated based on satellite and surface data at 1,170 kilometers east of Mindanao and has chance to become a tropical depression if the movement will not change.

Loiz said that once the LPA develops into a tropical depression and enters the country, it will be named “Gener,” the third tropical cyclone to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility this month.

"Gener" is also the seventh weather disturbance to enter the country this year.

He said the southwest monsoon will particularly affect the Northern and Central Luzon and the Visayas.

Loiz said that despite the two weather disturbances, Metro Manila and other parts of the country will experience weak rains on Monday compared with previous days.

In its advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Luzon and western Visayas will have occasional rains becoming frequent over the western section of Luzon that may trigger flash floods and landslides.

Central Visayas will be mostly cloudy with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms. The rest of the country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest will prevail over the entire archipelago with moderate to rough seas.

Pagasa also issued a gale warning that strong to gale force wind is expected to affect the northern and western seaboards of Luzon.

Fishing boats and other small sea crafts are advised not to venture out into the sea, while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves.

Meanwhile, Gene Nievares, Pagasa hydrologist, said the La Mesa Dam in Quezon went on red alert as its water level neared the spilling level following continuous rain.

“As of 6 a.m., La Mesa Dam is in red alert. Its status is 79.52 meters which is near the spilling level of 80.15 meters. Although the weather is getting better, we will still monitor dahil may pag-ulan na mararanasan pagdating ng hapon o gabi (as rains are expected in the afternoon or evening),” Nievares said.

La Mesa Dam has no gates and there is a chance the dam will overflow to the Tullahan River, Nievares added.

Tullahan River traverses several barangays in Novaliches, both in Quezon City and Caloocan City, Valenzuela City and Malabon City.

With this, Nievares advised the residents near the La Mesa Dam to be on alert. (PNA/Sunnex)