LPA may develop into tropical depression on Friday, typhoon by Monday

The low pressure area (LPA) located 950 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon is expected to develop into a tropical depression on Friday, which will be named Egay, state bureau PAGASA said on Friday.

“Inaasahan po natin ngayong araw magiging isang tropical depression or mahinang bagyo na po itong LPA given na itong sirkulasyon na nakikita natin itong kumpol ng ulap is naging mas compact,” PAGASA weather specialist Benison Estareja said in a 4 a.m. weather update.

(We are expecting that the LPA will become a tropical depression given the more compact circulation of clouds that we monitored.)

The areas that will be nearest to the weather disturbance are Samar and Bicol areas.

If the LPA develops into a tropical depression, Estareja said the raising of Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals by Sunday is possible.

By Monday or Tuesday, Estareja said the weather disturbance may further intensify into a severe tropical storm or typhoon as it moves to northern Luzon in the northwest direction.

PAGASA is looking at two possible scenarios: the weather disturbance may make a landfall over northern Luzon or it will only move in the sea east of northern Luzon, then to the southern islands of Japan.

Currently, the LPA has no effect on the weather conditions of the country but the Southwest Monsoon or Habagat will bring rains on the western section of southern Luzon and Visayas, Estareja said.

The weather disturbance is expected to stay in the Philippine Area of Responsibility for five to six days, he added. —Joviland Rita/ VAL, GMA Integrated News