By Brian Campued
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) is now monitoring three low pressure areas (LPA) both inside and outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).
As of 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, the LPA 1,140 km east of Central Luzon still has “high” chance to develop into a tropical depression in the next 24 hours, while another LPA 255 km east-southeast of Basco, Batanes has a “medium” potential for tropical cyclone development.
A third LPA, meanwhile, formed outside the PAR at 2,850 km east of Eastern Visayas. The weather disturbance also has a medium chance of developing into a tropical cyclone.
The potential tropical cyclone will enhance the southwest monsoon (habagat), which continues to bring downpour over much of Luzon and Western Visayas—causing severe widespread flooding in various areas.
According to PAGASA’s 11:00 a.m. weather advisory, habagat will dump torrential rains over Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, and Occidental Mindoro until Wednesday noon.
Up to intense rains will prevail over Pangasinan, Benguet, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Laguna, and Rizal, while up to heavy rains will be experienced in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Abra, Nueva Ecija, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Marinduque, Romblon, Masbate, Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Antique, Iloilo, Guimaras, and Negros Occidental.
Rainfall warning
The state weather bureau also raised heavy rainfall warnings in various provinces as of 11:00 a.m., forecasting heavy rains for the next three hours:
Orange Warning Level
-Zambales
-Bataan
-Bulacan
-Pampanga
-Metro Manila
-Cavite
-Batangas
-Rizal.
Yellow Warning Level
-Tarlac
-Nueva Ecija
-Laguna
-Pangasinan (Aguilar, Alcala, Basista, Bautista, Bugallon, Calasiao, Malasiqui, Mangatarem, Mapandan, Rosales, San Carlos City, Santo Tomas, Urbiztondo, City of Urdaneta, Villasis, Bayambang, and Santa Barbara)
-Occidental Mindoro (Lubang, Looc, Paluan, Abra de Ilog, Santa Cruz, Mamburao, and Sablayan)
Residents in the above-mentioned locations are warned of possible serious and widespread flooding, especially in low-lying areas.
-jpv
