LPA enters PAR, may turn into storm within 12 hours

The low pressure area east of the country is expected to turn into a tropical cyclone, according to weather bureau PAGASA early Saturday morning.

''This weather disturbance has a high chance of developing into a tropical cyclone within the next 12 hours,'' PAGASA said in an advisory.

The LPA, which entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility at 2 a.m., was last spotted 1,170 kilometers east of Southeastern Luzon. It will be given the domestic name Nika once it becomes a tropical cyclone.

PAGASA is also monitoring an LPA some 2,870 km east of northeastern Mindanao.

"It has little chance of turning into a tropical cyclone in the next 24 hours, but it will gradually strengthen over the next few days,'' PAGASA weather specialist Daniel James Villamil said.

Meanwhile, Typhoon Yinxing, formerly Marce, was spotted 500 km west of Laoag City (outside PAR), with maximum sustained winds of 155 km/h and gustiness of up to 190 km/h. It was moving west northwestward at 20 km/h.

On Saturday, the easterlies and localized thunderstorms will bring partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms across the country.

Light to moderate winds and slight to moderate coastal waters are expected throughout the archipelago.

The sun will rise over Metro Manila at 5:54 a.m. Sunset will be at 5:25 p.m.  —VBL, GMA Integrated News