BY ELLALYN V. RUIZ
A low-pressure area (LPA) east of Luzon has the potential to become a tropical depression while still at sea, according to a forecaster of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
PAGASA estimated the location of the LPA at 655 kilometers east of Infanta, Quezon or over the Philippine Sea Thursday morning.
Weather specialist Raymond Ordinario said PAGASA will continue to monitor this weather disturbance for possible development into a tropical depression and said the tropical cyclone will have a local name “Nika.”
The other LPA being monitored by PAGASA Wednesday has dissipated.
The active LPA is seen to bring scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Metro Manila, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Apayao, Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon.
The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to the southwest monsoon or “habagat.”
Residents in low-lying or mountainous areas should remain alert for possible flooding or landslide during severe thunderstorm activity.
The State weather bureau has not issued a gale warning on Thursday, thus, fisherfolk and those using small boats are safe to sail. Slight to moderate sea condition will prevail across the country’s seaboards.
DAM STATUS
The water level in Angat Dam slightly increased to 177.37 meters Thursday from 177.34 meters last Wednesday.
However, its water level remains below the rule curve elevation at 185.34 meters.
Rule curve elevation is the minimum reservoir elevation needed to maintain by dam operators to ensure availability of water for irrigation, power generation, and domestic supply.
The water level of Pantabangan Dam in Nueva Ecija also slightly increased to 183.53 meters from 183.37 meters. But the water level of the reservoir was still way below its rule curve elevation of 215.39 meters.
The water level of San Roque Dam in Pangasinan continues to fall at 236.63 meters from 236.69 meters. It is also below its rule curve elevation of 265.48 meters.
