Potential cyclone expected to enter Phl Friday

MANILA, Philippines - A low pressure area (LPA) that is expected to become the first tropical cyclone this year may enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) today, the state weather bureau said.

In its 24-hour public weather forecast, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the LPA was last spotted at 1,460 kilometers east of southern Mindanao.

PAGASA weather forecaster Buddy Javier said in an interview over radio dzMM that the LPA is expected to enter the PAR later this afternoon and intensify into a tropical depression.

It will be named "Agaton," the first tropical cyclone to enter the country this year.

Meanwhile, the northeast monsoon (Amihan) continues to affect Luzon, according to PAGASA.

The weather bureau also said that Visayas and Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms.

Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over northern Luzon and the eastern sections of Luzon and Visayas.

The coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough.

Elsewhere in the country, winds will be light to moderate coming from the northeast with slight to moderate seas.