LPA may enter PAR Sept. 22 or 23; could develop into Tropical Cyclone Queenie

September 21 ------ A low-pressure area (LPA) east of the country may enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Tuesday, Sept. 22, or Wednesday, Sept. 23, and could develop into a tropical cyclone later this week, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

PAGASA weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio said the LPA formed at 2 a.m. Monday, Sept. 21, and was located 2,090 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas as of 3 a.m. Aurelio said the weather disturbance could develop into a tropical depression by Thursday, Sept. 24, or Friday, Sept. 25.

“Base sa ating mga data, may posibilidad na maging bagyo itong low-pressure area sa darating na Huwebes, Sept. 24, o sa Biyernes, Sept. 25. Ang local name kapag ito ay nasa loob ng ating Philippine Area of Responsibility as ‘Queenie’ (Based on our data, there is a possibility that this low-pressure area will become a tropical cyclone on Thursday or Friday. Its local name when it is inside our Philippine Area of Responsibility is ‘Queenie’),” he said.

If it enters the PAR and develops into a tropical cyclone, Queenie will be the 17th tropical cyclone inside the country’s monitoring area this year. Aurelio said the LPA is not yet affecting the country’s weather as it remains far east of the Philippines. “Kasalukuyan, wala pang direktang epekto sa ating panahon ngayong araw dahil napakalayo pa ng low-pressure area sa ating bansa (Currently, it has no direct effect on our weather today because the low-pressure area is still very far from the country),” he said.

Meanwhile, the weak southwest monsoon or “habagat” continues to affect the western section of Southern Luzon. Over the next 24 hours, partly cloudy to cloudy skies, isolated rain showers, and thunderstorms may prevail across the archipelago due to the habagat and localized thunderstorms. Aurelio warned that severe thunderstorms may trigger flash floods or landslides.

Source: mb.com.ph