MANILA, Philippines —The low pressure area (LPA) off east-northeast of extreme Northern Luzon has a big chance to become a tropical depression and will be named ‘Kiko,’ the first storm to be hitting the country this month and the 11th this year, the state weather agency said on Wednesday.

Weather specialist Loriedin Dela Cruz-Galicia of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said, however that the LPA was already going away from the Luzon landmass, hence, it has less chance to directly affect the country even if it intensifies within the next 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon locally known as ‘habagat,’ which is closely associated with the rainy season, will continue to be the prevailing weather system in the coming days.

LPA has big chance of intensifying into tropical cyclone to be named ‘Kiko’

Particuarly, habagat has been affecting Ilocos Region, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Apayao, Zambales, Bataan, and Occidental Mindoro where cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms would be likely, according to Pagasa.

Habagat is also affecting Metro Manila, the rest of Central Luzon, CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), the rest of MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Bicol Region, and Western Visayas where partly cloudy to overcast skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms would be likely., This news data comes from:http://nmv-ovxr-trb-jd.gyglfs.com

The rest of the country, the state-run weather agency said, would be experiencing similar weather patterns but due to the localized thunderstorms.