LPA in Visayas may develop into a storm

BY ELLALYN DE VERA-RUIZ

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THE low pressure area (LPA) east of Visayas has a chance of progressing to a tropical cyclone that may bring rains over several areas throughout the weekend, according to the Philippine At­mospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Admin­istration (PAGASA).

Weather specialist Meno Men­doza said the LPA was estimated at 465 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar around 3 a.m. Tuesday.

It has no direct effect yet over any part of the country as of Tuesday but PAGASA will con­tinue to monitor this weather disturbance for possible inten­sification into a tropical depres­sion, Mendoza said.

Should it intensify into a tropi­cal depression, the weather disturbance will be given a lo­cal name “Butchoy,” the first cyclone this June and second this year.

The LPA is embedded in the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) that is responsible for the scattered rains over Palawan, Visayas, and Mindanao in the past few days.

Warm and humid weather conditions will prevail over Met­ro Manila and the rest of Luzon but there remains a likelihood of isolated afternoon or evening rains and thunderstorms, Men­doza said.