Weather: Potential cyclone moves closer to Batanes

A potential cyclone - a low-pressure area (LPA) - moved closer to Batanes in extreme northern Luzon early Thursday, even as state weather forecasters said rain may fall over several parts of Luzon. In a radio interview, Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration forecaster Benjie de Paz said there is a chance the LPA may become a cyclone. "May posibilidad maging bagyo ito. Sa ngayon LPA pa siya pero binabantayan pa natin ito (There is a chance it will become a cyclone. It is an LPA for now, but we are monitoring it)," De Paz said in an interview on dzBB radio. Should it become a cyclone while inside Philippine territory, he said it will be locally codenamed "Pedring." De Paz said the LPA was estimated at 300 km east of Basco, Batanes as of 2 a.m. Thursday. At 2 p.m. Wednesday, it had been estimated at 320 km east of Batanes. "Bale tatawagin itong 'Pedring' kung maging bagyo man ito (We will codename it 'Pedring' if it becomes a cyclone)," he said. In its weather advisory, PAGASA said northern and Central Luzon and the western section of Southern Luzon will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with scattered to widespread rains over the Batanes Group of Islands, Palawan and Mindoro provinces. . PAGASA said the rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms. — RSJ, GMA News