Low-pressure area expected in PAR

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported on Wednesday the development of a cloud cluster east of Mindanao into a low-pressure area (LPA) that is expected soon to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

PAGASA weather specialist Veronica Torres said the LPA may enter PAR on Wednesday night or Thursday morning and possibly make its landfall on Friday or Saturday.

“At present, it has no direct effect on us,” she said, noting that when the LPA enters the PAR, rains will mostly likely occur in Eastern Visayas and Bicol region.

Moreover, Torres said, citing their climatology department, that the rainy season has not yet started.

She, however, said that the frequent afternoon rains are an indication that the onset of the rainy season is coming.

Last week, PAGASA Climate Monitoring and Prediction Section chief Analiza Solis said the onset of the rainy season as forecasted by their agency is between June 1 and 15, or the last week of May.

She noted that there is still a probability of more than 15 percent, or a slim chance of the rainy season’s delayed onset.

A La Niña watch was issued in March, signifying that there is a level of more than 55 percent of its occurrence in the next six months.