Weather: Potential cyclone likely to merge with one off Mindanao

A potential cyclone approaching Philippine territory is likely to merge with a low-pressure area (LPA) off Mindanao and to pose a threat to the Philippines, state weather forecasters said Wednesday. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the potential cyclone is still a low-pressure area and may enter the Philippine area of responsibility Wednesday or early Thursday. "Ang LPA sa labas ng bansa ay maaring papasok ngayong umaga o bukas, at maaring maging bagyo kasi maaabutan niya ang isang LPA sa loob ng bansa. Magsasanib itong dalawa at ito ay posibleng maging bagyo. Mabagal ang isa, ang papaarating na isa ay mabilis," PAGASA forecaster Ben Oris said in an interview on dzBB radio Wednesday. He said that should the LPAs form a cyclone inside Philippine territory, the result will be codenamed "Egay." Oris said PAGASA data showed the LPA just off Mindanao is "almost stationary," while the LPA outside the Philippines is gathering strength as it is still at sea. "The LPA outside Philippine territory is approaching our territory fast and still gaining strength," he added. Meanwhile, PAGASA said the LPA inside Philippine territory was estimated at 180 km east of Mindanao as of 2 a.m., embedded along the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affecting Visayas and Mindanao. It warned of possible flash floods and landslides over Eastern and Southern Mindanao. "Visayas and Mindanao including Palawan will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over Eastern and Southern Mindanao which may trigger flashfloods and landslides," it said in its 5 a.m. bulletin. The rest of Luzon will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening, it added. — LBG, GMA News