PAGASA monitoring 2 potential cyclones

State weather forecasters are keeping watch over two low-pressure areas (LPAs) that may enter and become cyclones in Philippine territory within this week. But this early, Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration forecaster Nelson Dianela said one of the LPAs is already showing signs of fading. "We are tracking one LPA west of the country that has a chance of becoming a cyclone. It is still organizing, though our satellite images indicate it may become a cyclone by Thursday," Dianela said in Filipino in an interview on dzBB radio Tuesday. Should it become a cyclone, he said it will be locally codenamed "Pedring" and may affect northern Luzon, he said. Dianela said a second LPA appears to be forming east of Mindanao, but appears to be fading. "Medyo pawala-wala na, di malinaw (It appears to be fading. It is not clear if it will become a cyclone)," he said. Meanwhile, PAGASA said a monsoon trough across extreme northern Luzon may bring rain to parts of Luzon. In its 5 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Luzon and Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over the western section of Luzon which may trigger flashfloods or landslides. The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening, it added. Also, PAGASA said moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest will prevail over northern and western Luzon and the coastal waters will be moderate to rough. — RSJ, GMA News