The latest storm and low pressure information on the morning of August 6 from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that the new low pressure area near the East Sea 08b had just appeared outside the Philippine Forecast Area (PAR) at 8:00 a.m. on August 6.
Low pressure 08b is 2,895 km east of the northernmost tip of Luzon, Philippines. This low pressure is forecast to have little chance of strengthening into a tropical depression in the next 24 hours.
Previously, PAGASA had monitored the low pressure near the East Sea 08a within the PAR. Low pressure 08a is 170km east of Virac, Catanduanes.
Similar to the new low pressure, low pressure near the East Sea 08a is also unlikely to strengthen into a tropical depression in the next 24 hours.
Low pressure 08a appeared from August 4 outside PAR and continuously moved west, then entered PAR in recent days.
In the storm forecast bulletin on August 6, PAGASA forecasters said that there are expected to be 2 to 3 tropical storms in August, making August the driest month of the year.
PAGASA leader Nathaniel Servando told local media that there could be "about 12 tropical storms directly affecting the Philippines from now until the end of the year".
Currently, there is a temporary suspension period for the southwest monsoon. However, Mr. Servando pointed out that this development is only "temporary because once a storm appears in the PAR region, especially east of Luzon, the monsoon will resume operation".
The Philippine State Weather Agency's top weather forecaster stressed that on average, rainfall in August will be higher than in other months, especially in the western Philippines.
