Possible new cyclone by next Monday, says PAGASA

Even as they continue to monitor a potential cyclone that moved closer towards Philippine territory early Thursday, state weather forecasters hinted a new cyclone may threaten the country only after the weekend. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) also said that while there is a chance the LPA may weaken and dissolve, it is still gathering strength while still at sea. "Ito ay nasa dagat, hindi pa natin maaring tanggalin ang possibility magiging ito isang bagyo," PAGASA forecaster Gener Quitlong said in an interview on dzBB radio. As of 2 a.m., PAGASA's 5 a.m. bulletin said the location of the low pressure area was estimated at 460 km east of Visayas, embedded along the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affecting Visayas and Mindanao. Should the LPA become a cyclone while in Philippine territory, it will be locally codenamed "Ramon." Quitlong said in a separate radio interview that their numerical models show a new cyclone may enter or form in the Philippines after this weekend. "Sa ngayong weekend hindi na siguro magkakaroon ng bagyo pero papalapit ito so magdudulot po ng pag-ulan. Ang ginagamit nating numerical model maari tayo magkaroon ng bagyo next week, Lunes, kung di magbabago ang pinapakita, baka sa Lunes magkakaroon ng bagyo," he said in an interview on dwIZ radio. The country is still reeling from the effects of two successive typhoons, "Pedring" (Nesat) and "Quiel" (Nalgae), that battered and drenched Northern and Central Luzon. Flashfloods landslides PAGASA said flash floods and landslides loom over Eastern Luzon. "Eastern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over Eastern Luzon which may trigger flashfloods and landslides," it said. The rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms, it added. Light to moderate winds blowing from the east to southeast will prevail over Northern and Central Luzon and coming from the southwest to northwest over the rest of the country. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate. — ELR, GMA News