‘Perla’ to make landfall in extreme N. Luzon by weekend

Tropical depression “Perla” will likely make landfall or move near the extreme Northern Luzon area by weekend.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and

Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) weather specialist Loriedin dela Cruz said Perla could approach Batanes or Cagayan but there is a high chance that the cyclone will weaken into a low pressure area while moving close to the landmass.

Around mid-Thursday, PAGASA estimated the location of Perla at 860 kilometers (km) east of Tuguegarao City or 860 km east of Aparri, Cagayan.

It has maintained its maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 55 kph, moving slowly west-northwest at 10 kph.

Dela Cruz said Perla is still too far from the country and may hover over the Philippine Sea for the next two days.

Perla may bring scattered rains and thunderstorms over Babuyan Island, Batanes, Cagayan, and Apayao beginning Saturday or Sunday.

For now, light rains from the northeasterly surface wind flow will prevail over Batanes and Cagayan.

PAGASA advised that sea travel is risky, especially for small sea vessels, over the northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon due to potentially rough sea conditions associated with the northeasterly surface wind flow.

Meanwhile, the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), a breeding ground for low pressure area or tropical cyclone, could bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Caraga Region.

Metro Manila and the rest of the

country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers from localized thunderstorms.

The public should remain vigilant at times of severe thunderstorm activity as it may trigger flash floods

in low-lying areas or landslides in mountainous regions. (Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz)