Thea's Blogiesh

MANILA, Philippines – The low pressure area over Mindanao has now intensified into tropical depression “Auring”, becoming the country’s first weather disturbance for 2013.

Public Storm Warning Signal Number 1 has been declared over the following areas:

• Palawan
• Southern part of Negros
• Siquijor Island
• Lanao del Norte
• Lanao del Sur
• Misamis Occidental
• Zamboanga del Norte
• Zamboanga del Sur
• Zamboanga Sibugay

In an interview on DZMM, PAGASA weather forecaster Jori Loiz said the LPA over Mindanao intensified when it was approaching the Sulu Sea, thus leading to it being upgraded into a tropical depression.

As of 10 a.m., PAGASA said the center of the tropical depression was located at 50 kilometers west of Dipolog City. It has maximum winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and is moving west at 28 kph.

If Auring maintains its current speed and direction, it will be 180 km southwest of Puerto Princesa by Friday morning, and will be out of the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) by Friday evening.

The weather bureau said that they expect moderate to heavy rainfall (5-15 millimeters per hour) within the 250 km diameter of the tropical depression.

Loiz said Metro Manila will be cloudy because of "Auring."

"Ayon sa satellite images, umaabot sa Metro Manila ang mga ulap ng Auring, pero hindi ibig sabihing malakas ang pag-ulan dito. Halos sa buong araw ay maulap [ang Metro Manila] at may mahina hanggang katamtamang pag-ulan.”

Fishing boats and other small seacraft are advised not to venture out, as seas will be rough due to Auring in Visayas and Mindanao, and the northeast monsoon in northern Luzon.

Another possible LPA

According to Loiz, PAGASA expects, at the most, one weather disturbance this January. However, they have spotted a cloud formation that may possibly become another LPA.

“Ang bagyong inaasahan natin, pinakamarami na ang isa sa January. Pero parang masisira po ata iyon dahil mukhang next week ay may kasunod na itong bagyo na ito. May nakikita po kaming isa pang cloudiness na pwedeng maging LPA,” he said.

I HOPE THIS WILL NOT LIKE THE TYPHOON PABLO AND QUNTA...