Tropical Depression Wilma weakens into LPA

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression Wilma weakened into a low pressure area (LPA) at 8 am on Sunday, December 7, due to the northeast monsoon or amihan, which is bringing cool and dry air.

The LPA that used to be Wilma was located in the vicinity of Cataingan, Masbate, as of 10 am. It is moving west at 15 kilometers per hour.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 11 am bulletin that the LPA will continue crossing the Southern Luzon-Visayas area from Sunday to Monday, December 8.

PAGASA is not ruling out the possibility of the LPA redeveloping into a tropical depression once it is over the West Philippine Sea.

On Saturday, December 6, Wilma had made landfall twice in Eastern Samar — first in Hilabaan Island, Dolores, at 10:50 pm, and second in Oras at 11:10 pm.

For the rest of Sunday, only Oriental Mindoro and Romblon are expected to see moderate to heavy rain (50-100 millimeters) from the LPA. Floods and landslides are still possible.

As for strong winds, the weather bureau has already lifted Signal No. 1 in all areas following Wilma’s downgrade to an LPA.

But the northeast monsoon is still bringing strong to gale-force gusts to these areas:

Sunday, December 7

• most of Luzon, Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula

Monday, December 8

• most of Luzon

Tuesday, December 9

• most of Luzon

Conditions in certain seaboards remain dangerous as well because of the northeast monsoon and the LPA.

Up to very rough seas (travel is risky for all vessels)

• Seaboards of mainland Cagayan, Isabela, and Aurora; northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands and Camarines Norte – waves up to 5 meters high
• Eastern seaboards of Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and northern mainland Quezon; northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes; northern seaboard of Camarines Sur – waves up to 4.5 meters high

Up to rough seas (small vessels should not venture out to sea)

• Remaining seaboards of Batanes and Babuyan Islands; seaboard of Ilocos Norte – waves up to 4 meters high
• Eastern seaboards of Albay and Sorsogon; seaboard of Northern Samar – waves up to 3.5 meters high
• Seaboards of Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Kalayaan Islands; western seaboard of Pangasinan; eastern seaboard of Eastern Samar – waves up to 3 meters high

Up to moderate to rough seas (small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible)

• Remaining seaboards of Pangasinan; seaboard of Cagayancillo Islands; eastern seaboards of Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Sur, and Davao Oriental – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Western seaboards of Bataan, Batangas, Lubang Islands, Palawan, and Antique; remaining seaboards of Quezon and Camarines Sur; seaboards of Zambales, Romblon, Marinduque, and Cuyo Islands; southern seaboards of Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro; northwestern seaboard of Masbate including Burias Islands; northern seaboard of Zamboanga del Norte – waves up to 2 meters high

Wilma was the Philippines’ 23rd tropical cyclone for 2025, and the first for December. The weather bureau expects one or two tropical cyclones to form within or enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility during the month.

Shear line

While rain from the LPA or former tropical cyclone has eased, the shear line is still causing moderate to intense rain in several provinces in Luzon. These areas must continue to watch out for floods and landslides:

Sunday noon, December 7, to Monday noon, December 8

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Quezon
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Isabela, Aurora, Laguna, Batangas, Marinduque, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay

Monday noon, December 8, to Tuesday noon, December 9

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Isabela
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Cagayan, Aurora, Quirino, Quezon

Tuesday noon, December 9, to Wednesday noon, December 10

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Isabela
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Cagayan, Quirino, Aurora

The shear line refers to the point where cold air from the northeast monsoon converges with the easterlies or warm winds from the Pacific Ocean. – Rappler.com