Manila: A low-pressure area (LPA) located over the coastal waters of Calayan Island, Cagayan, along with the southwest monsoon, will bring rains over most areas in Luzon, the weather bureau reported on Wednesday. Heavy rainfall is anticipated across regions including La Union, Nueva Vizcaya, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Nueva Ecija, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Marinduque, Romblon, Masbate, Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Antique, Iloilo, Pangasinan, Benguet, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, Zambales, Bataan, and Occidental Mindoro.
According to Philippines News Agency, the LPA has a high potential to evolve into a tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours and is expected to cause heavy rains over Cagayan, Apayao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, and Kalinga. "Tropical Depression Dante is far from the landmass, so we did not raise a storm signal as Dante is not directly affecting any part of the country," stated Loriedin Galicia, a forecaster from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). However, Dante is enhancing the southwest monsoon, which brings additional weather challenges.
Dante was last observed 880 kilometers east of extreme northern Luzon, carrying maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts reaching up to 70 kilometers per hour. The southwest monsoon is expected to produce strong to gale-force gusts in several regions including Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, Bulacan, Aurora, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Bicol Region, Mimaropa, the Visayas, Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands, Davao Occidental, and Davao Oriental.
Additionally, rough sea conditions are forecasted to prevail over the western seaboard of Lubang Island, the seaboards of Batanes and Kalayaan Islands, and the western seaboards of Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, and Calamian Islands. PAGASA has advised mariners with small seacraft, including all types of motorbancas, to refrain from venturing out to sea due to the hazardous conditions.
