Weather: Potential cyclone may enter PHL on Friday

Mere hours after a potential cyclone exited Philippine territory, state weather forecasters are now monitoring a new low-pressure area approaching the country. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said its present data shows the new LPA may enter Philippine territory Friday and become a cyclone. "Ayon sa data natin, inaasahan nating papasok ito bukas at maaaring maging bagyo ito at papangalanin nating 'Pedring.' Next week ay baka maapektuhan tayo ng bagyong ito at baka matumbok ang Cagayan," PAGASA forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said in an interview on dzBB radio. (Our data shows the LPA may enter Philippine territory Friday and become a cyclone, to be codenamed 'Pedring.' It is possible next week 'Pedring' may affect parts of the country and head for Cagayan.) He said that as of Thursday morning, the LPA is still outside Philippine territory and is estimated east of Visayas and Mindanao. Earlier, PAGASA forecaster Gener Quitlong said an LPA lingering over northern Luzon had exited Philippine territory and was heading for Vietnam. Meanwhile, Aurelio reiterated a monsoon trough across northern Luzon may bring rain to parts of Luzon. PAGASA earlier said Northern and Central Luzon and the western section of Southern 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, it added. — RSJ, GMA News