The Philippine Online Chronicles

A low pressure area (LPA) near Puerto Princesa City, Palawan is set to bring rains over parts of the Philippines, said the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) on Friday.

The LPA was last spotted 330 kilometers west of Puerto Princesa.

According to the weather bureau, northern Luzon and the eastern section of Central Luzon, as well as southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms. Widespread rains are also expected over Palawan and Eastern Visayas. The rest of Luzon will have partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Pagasa chief Dr. Nathaniel Servando added that the La Niña phenomenon, which brings more rains, will continue to affect the country until February 2012.

He added that the country may see one more storm before the end of the year.

“One tropical cyclone is likely to develop or enter the PAR [Philippine Area of Responsibility] during [December],” he said.

Last full lunar eclipse in 3 years

Meanwhile, the last full lunar eclipse in the next three years will take place on December 10. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth passes between the sun and moon, so that the shadow of the Earth falls on the Moon.

The eclipse will begin at 7:33 pm Philippine time and will last until 1:30 am on December 11, with the total eclipse occuring at around 10:31 pm.

The lunar eclipse will be visible in North America except for the eastern section, Hawaii, Oceania, Australasia, some parts of Asia, eastern Africa and Eastern Europe.

During the phenomenon, the moon will be taking on a reddish color due to light refracted from the earth’s atmosphere.

Pagasa's chief of the Space Sciences and Astronomy Section Dario de la Cruz noted that observers can watch the eclipse without need for telescopes or protective filters.

"I just hope we have a clear sky to have a good view of this celestial event," he said.