Weather forecasters have spotted a low pressure area (LPA) east of Visayas that will continue to bring rain showers and thunderstorms across the country which could extend until next week.

Meanwhile, heavy rains and flood in Metro Manila forced the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals to suspend work at 1 p.m. Friday.

Chief Justice Reynato S. Puno ordered the suspension through the office of the Court Adminstrator which supervises all trial courts in the country.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the LPA, monitored at about 730 kilometers east of Visayas, will continue to enhance the activities of the “Hanging Habagat” along with the monsoon trough across Central and Southern Luzon.

In a press conference, PAGASA senior weather forecaster Robert Sawi said that the LPA is expected to develop into a tropical depression by Sunday as it continues to intensify strength while moving northwest.

“By Monday, the LPA might cross North Luzon. The weather will continue to be rainy and the weather system (LPA) will most likely to become a tropical storm,” Sawi told reporters.

Sawi said the LPA will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms to the provinces in Central and Southern Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao, becoming widespread over Nueva Ecija, Aurora, Pampanga, Rizal, Quezon, and Laguna.

He said Southern Luzon and Visayas will have moderate to rough sea conditions.

In a gale warning, PAGASA said winds from 55 to 63 kph associated with the Southwest monsoon may be experienced in the western seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon.

The weather bureau added that coastal areas near Tarlac, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, and Laguna will experience rough to very rough sea conditions with waves as high as 3.7 to 4.5 meters as a result of an enhanced Hanging Habagat.

PAGASA assured that light to moderate winds coming from the southwest to south will prevail over northern and Central Luzon while southwesterly winds will make seas in Mindanao slight to moderate.