LPA drawing near Luzon; unlikely to become cyclone - Pagasa

MANILA, Philippines - A low-pressure area (LPA) near Luzon threatens to bring rains to parts of the country but state weather forecasters on Tuesday said it is not likely to intensify into a cyclone. But Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration forecaster (Pagasa) Connie Dadivas said they are monitoring the LPA's path and intensity. "Sa ngayon di pa naman po. Mino-monitor pa po natin pero sa nakikita natin di siya magiging bagyo [For now I don't think it will become a cyclone. For now, it does not have signs of intensifying into a cyclone]," Dadivas said in an interview on dzBB radio. If the LPA intensifies into a cyclone, it will be codenamed "Feria," she said. On the other hand, Pagasa warned of possible flash floods and landslides in western sections of Southern Luzon and Visayas. Pagasa said that as of 2 a.m., the LPA was estimated at 400 km east of Luzon, while a monsoon trough is across Southern Luzon and Visayas. "The entire archipelago will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over the western sections of Southern Luzon and Visayas which may trigger flashfloods and landslides," it said. Moderate to occasionally strong winds blowing from the southwest will prevail over the western sections of Southern Luzon and Visayas. Coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to occasionally rough becoming light to moderate winds coming from the southwest over the rest of the country with slight to moderate seas except during thunderstorms. - GMANews.TV