Pagasa: Rains on Christmas Day due to LPA

THOSE who plan to celebrate their Christmas eve outdoors may have to reconsider another option or get their rain gear on.

The state weather bureau has warned the public on Sunday (Dec. 23) of possible scattered light to moderate rain showers tonight, December 24, due to another low pressure area (LPA) that has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

Joey Figuracion, weather specialist of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration Mactan (Pagasa Mactan), said the LPA was spotted at 3 p.m. Sunday, at the vicinity of Buan, Eastern Samar.

The LPA, Figuracion said, might also bring thunderstorms in Central Visayas which might result in flooding in low-lying areas.

Despite the new LPA, the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) has lifted their blue alert status.

“Libkas lang sa for the meantime. Wala man major weather system affecting the province, but whenever lain ang panahon, with the advise from Pagasa balik ta blue alert,” PDRRMO head Baltazar Tribunalo said in a message reply to CDN.

(The blue alert status is lifted for the meantime since there is no major weather system affecting the province. But whenever the weather becomes bad and if Pagasa advises, we will activate the blue alert.)

Tribunalo added that the PDRRMO and the local disaster offices would still be operational round the clock even on the 24th and 25th of December.

Meanwhile, Figuracion said that there would be a slim chance for the LPA to develop into a storm.

He said the LPA would likely dissipate on Tuesday, December 25, giving sunny periods but with isolated rains on Christmas day.

Figuracion also said that the drop in temperature, which would usually be experienced at dawn, would be due to the prevailing northeast monsoon or Amihan that brings cooler wind.

In Pagasa’s weather outlook published on their official website, the weather bureau is expecting another LPA to approach PAR on Christmas day.

“Meanwhile, also on the 25th at the east of the country, another low-pressure area was spotted 1,140 kilometers east of southeastern Mindanao on 25th and will be 780 kilometers 24 hours later (26th December),” the weather outlook reads.

Aside from preparing for the Christmas weather, the PDRRMO said the local disaster offices would be ready to respond to any incident that may transpire during the holidays.

“Aside sa weather this 24 and 25 we are also preparing the office and the LDRRMOs for any untoward incident due to the influx of passengers and any incidents that the holiday season may bring,” Tribunalo said.