PAGASA: Tropical Depression Labuyo expected to enter PAR

A low-pressure area approaching the Philippines from the east intensified into a tropical depression early Friday and was expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility in the afternoon, state weather forecasters said. PAGASA forecaster Samuel Duran said the tropical depression, codenamed Labuyo, was expected to cause a rainy weekend in parts of the country. "[Sa ngayon] malayo pa ito para makaapekto sa atin," Duran said in an interview on dzBB radio. Duran said that as of 4 a.m., Tropical Depression Labuyo was estimated to be 1,150 km east of Catarman in Northern Samar. It packed maximum sustained winds of 45 kph near the center and was moving west-northwest at 9 kph. PAGASA's 5 a.m. advisory said Labuyo was expected to be 950 km east of Catarman, Northern Samar by Saturday morning. By Sunday morning, it was forecast to be at 790 km east of Legazpi City in Albay, and 610 km east of Daet, Camarines Sur by Monday morning. It said Labuyo may bring an estimated rainfall of 5 to 15 mm per hour (moderate to heavy) within its 300-km diameter. Meanwhile, Duran said they were also tracking another low-pressure area near Palawan, which he said may bring rain over the area. He said the LPA was near Cuyo in Palawan, embedded along the inter-tropical convergence zone affecting Palawan, Visayas and Mindanao. 5 a.m. weather bulletin PAGASA's 5 a.m. bulletin said Mimaropa and Eastern Visayas may experience cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rain showers and thunderstorms that may trigger flash floods and landslides. Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Bicol, Western and Central Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao and Caraga will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms, it added. The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms. Light to moderate winds from the northeast to northwest will prevail over Luzon and Visayas, and coming from northwest to southwest over Mindanao. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate, PAGASA said. — DVM, GMA News