LPA off Baler weakens

MANILA, Philippines - The low-pressure area spotted off Baler, Aurora over the weekend has dissipated, but another low-pressure area has developed off Southern Tagalog yesterday, the state weather bureau said. 

Weather forecaster Benison Estareja said the new low-pressure area has a slim chance of developing into a tropical cyclone.

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, the low-pressure area was located at 180 kilometers southwest of Sangley Point in Cavite.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said monsoon rains would continue and may trigger flashfloods and landslides in Western Visayas as well as in the provinces of Negros Occidental, Palawan, Mindoro, Zambales and Bataan.

Fishing boat operators are advised against venturing out into the seaboards of Palawan and Occidental Mindoro.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms.

PAGASA said the coastal waters throughout the archipelago would be moderate to rough.

Only three tropical cyclones have entered the country so far this year. An average of 19 to 20 cyclones visit the country every year.

Despite the lack of cyclones, the southwest monsoon – enhanced by low-pressure areas and weather disturbances outside the country – has triggered heavy rains in the Philippines, particularly in Luzon and the Visayas over the past weeks.

Floods triggered by days of heavy monsoon rains killed at least seven persons and affected some 32,220 families in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon and Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon).

Flights cancelled

Six international flights were cancelled yesterday due to bad weather in Japan.

The Media Affairs Division of the Manila International Airport Authority said these were Philippine Airlines’ Manila-Narita-Manila and Manila-Haneda-Manila flights, and Delta Air’s Manila-Narita-Manila. – With Rudy Santos