Weather: Potential cyclone approaches Mindanao

Afternoon and evening rain showers and thunderstorms loom over parts of the country on All Saints' Day, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Monday afternoon. In its 5 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA also said a shallow low-pressure area (SLPA) embedded in the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) moved closer to Mindanao. "Mindanao and the eastern sections of Southern Luzon and the Visayas will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms. The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening," it said. PAGASA noted that the SLPA, which is along the ITCZ affecting Eastern Visayas and Mindanao, was estimated at 540 km east of Mindanao as of 2 p.m. Earlier, PAGASA forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said the SLPA has little chance of becoming a cyclone. If it did, it would be codenamed "Sendong." Meanwhile, PAGASA said moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the east and northeast, with slight to moderate seas, it added. — RSJ, GMA News