(UPDATE) THE Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Wednesday that the low-pressure area (LPA) off extreme Northern Samar has now developed into a tropical depression named “Luis.”
Weather forecaster Grace Castañeda told The Manila Times that although Luis is projected to escalate into a storm in the next 24 hours, it is unlikely to directly affect the weather conditions in the country.
“But the tropical depression is likely to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) Thursday morning or afternoon,” Castañeda said.
A Pagasa bulletin said that Luis might move north-northwestward in the next 24 hours before turning generally north-eastward Thursday night.
Estimated some 1,100 kilometers east of extreme Northern Luzon, Luis is moving north-westward at 25 kilometers per hour (kph) with maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph, the state-run weather agency said.
Over the next 24 hours, Pagasa said the southwest monsoon and the LPA outside the PAR will bring rains over the western section of Southern Luzon, Eastern and Western Visayas, and the eastern section of Mindanao.