The low pressure is forecast to cause widespread heavy rain in the central and southern Philippines. Although the possibility of strengthening into a storm is low, the risk of flooding and landslides is still warned.
According to the Global Forecast System (GFS), a potential low pressure area is being monitored in the tropical convergence zone and may affect some areas of Visayas, Bicol and Mindanao (Philippines) before Christmas.
The forecast shows the system could approach eastern Mindanao on Friday (December 19), then gradually move west to northwest on Saturday (December 20), threatening to sweep across or impact Eastern Visayas, much of Mindanao and part of Bicol.
Meteorological experts say that although there are signs of the formation of a low pressure area, the possibility of developing into a storm before Christmas is low, both inside and outside the Philippine Forecast Area (PAR).
The main reason is that the cold air mass is forecast to overflow and weaken, even sweeping the system as it moves further west.
However, widespread heavy rains remain a significant concern, increasing the risk of flooding in low-lying areas, flash floods and landslides in mountainous areas, especially in Eastern Visayas and Mindanao - where the terrain is steep and the river system is dense.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said it is closely monitoring the developments of the disturbance zone, while emphasizing that there are no signs of strong storm formation in the period before Christmas according to data compiled from many international forecasters.
For Vietnam, the National Center for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting updated the weather forecast for the regions from December 18 to December 19:
Northern region, Thanh Hoa and Nghe An: There will be rain in some places, early morning there will be scattered fog and light fog; in the Northwest region, there will be scattered rain and light rain. Cold at night and morning, some mountainous areas in the North are very cold.
The area from Ha Tinh to Da Nang City and the east of the provinces from Quang Ngai to Dak Lak will have scattered showers and thunderstorms. Hue city, Da Nang city and the eastern provinces from Quang Ngai to Dak Lak will have rain, showers, locally heavy rain and thunderstorms. The north is cold at night and in the morning, the south is cold at night.
Weather forecast from the night of December 19 to December 27:
Northern region, Thanh Hoa and Nghe An: Some rain, some fog in the early morning. Cold at night and morning, some mountainous areas in the North are very cold.
Area from Ha Tinh to Da Nang City and the east of the provinces from Quang Ngai to Dak Lak: There will be rain, scattered showers and thunderstorms, locally heavy rain; on the night of December 20 to December 21 and from the night of December 23 to December 26, there will be rain, scattered showers and thunderstorms, locally heavy rain.
