Weather: Potential cyclone monitored off north Luzon

State weather forecasters started tracking Tuesday afternoon a new potential cyclone — a low-pressure area off northern Luzon. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the LPA was estimated at 320 km west of northern Luzon as of 2 p.m. "Western Luzon will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms. The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening," PAGASA said in its 5 p.m. bulletin. The PAGASA bulletin, however, did not mention the chances of the LPA intensifying into a cyclone while in Philippine territory. Should the LPA become a cyclone while inside the Philippine area of responsibility, it will be locally codenamed "Pedring." Earlier Tuesday, PAGASA forecaster Nelson Dianela said their models indicated the LPA may become a cyclone on Thursday. — RSJ, GMA News