PAGASA: Weather disturbance may become cyclone, affect eastern Luzon

A weather disturbance,  a low-pressure area, off Central Luzon may become a cyclone and affect Eastern Luzon as early as Thursday, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Wednesday. PAGASA forecaster Elvie Enriquez said the LPA is also enhancing the southwest monsoon, which may bring rain to southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. "Malaki ang posibilidad nito maging ganap na bagyong tropikal. Baka bukas [Huwebes] ay lumakas ito at maging bagyong tropikal," Enriquez said in an interview on dzBB radio. If the LPA becomes a cyclone while in Philippine territory, it will be locally codenamed "Ferdie," she said. Enriquez said that if the LPA becomes a cyclone, it may initially affect Aurora and Isabela, and enhance the southwest monsoon. PAGASA's 5 a.m. bulletin said that as of 2 a.m., the LPA was estimated at 1,030 km east of Central Luzon. "Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over the eastern section of Visayas and Mindanao which may trigger flash floods and landslides," it said. The rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, it added. Light to moderate winds blowing from the southwest to west will prevail throughout the archipelago and the coastal waters will be slight to moderate. — LBG, GMA News