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The northeast monsoon or hanging amihan continues to prevail in Luzon. This weather system is cold and dry air coming from Mainland China or Siberia. It usually peaks in January, bringing light rains and colder weather.

Today’s forecast shows that cloudy skies with light rains will be experienced in Eastern Visayas, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera, Bicol Region, Aurora and Quezon. Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains. Meanwhile, the rest of Visayas and Mindanao will enjoy generally fair weather with possible isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

As amihan slightly weakens, sea conditions become favorable for sea travel. Gale warning was terminated today which means fishing boats and other small seacraft can venture out into the seaboards of the country.

On the other hand, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Meno Mendoza said the amihan can also reach Visayas and Mindanao. However, its effect will be mainly felt over Luzon. Here are the lowest temperatures recorded yesterday:

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Mendoza added that no weather disturbance is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) within the next two days or until the end of January. The public is still advised to monitor updates as changes may still occur.

Warm ocean triggers glacier melt

The waters around the Totten Glacier is observed to be melting due to the global sea level rise, according to scientists. This glacier is the largest glacier in East Antartica measuring 120 kilometers long and more than 30 kilometers wide.

A voyage to the cold region showed that the waters were approximately 1.5 degrees Celcius warmer than the other areas in the southern hemisphere. In an article published in Agence France-Presse, Chief Scientist Steve Rintoul said the warm waters can be a sign that East Antartica is also vulnerable to the effects of Climate Change. He added that this study will be very useful in the improvement of predicting future sea level rise.

Source: www.antarctica.gov.au
Source: www.antarctica.gov.au

A snow storm dubbed as the “Blizzard of 2015”, spared the Northeastern United States, including New York City and Boston. The blizzard caused destruction to homes, power outages, flight cancellations, road accidents and even flooding.

In Boston, around three feet of snow triggered high tides, breaking sea walls and causing storm-driven coastal flooding. According to FlightAware.com, more than 4,000 US flights were cancelled. More than 80 percent of these flights are in the airports of New York, Philadelphia and Boston. More than 45 thousand customers have experienced power outage. Authorities are currently working on its restoration.

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According to a report from the National Weather Service (NWS), the highest snowfall on Tuesday was recorded in Auburn with 32.5 inches or 83 centimeters with wind gust of 78 miles per hour in Nantucket, Massachusetts.

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) defines blizzards as dangerous winter storms in which blowing snow and winds result to very low visibility. There are also instances that intense winds pick up snow that has already fallen called as the “ground blizzard”.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service officially defines blizzard as a storm that contains enormous amount of snow or blowing snow with winds of 35 miles per hour or higher, with visibility of less than 1/4 mile for at least 3 hours.

Blizzard History

45th Street and Grand Central Depot, New York, March 1888, Source: NOAA's National Weather Service Collection
45th Street and Grand Central Depot, New York, March 1888, Source: NOAA’s National Weather Service Collection

The blizzard experienced in the US is not the first of its kind in the country’s history. In fact, what happened in the last decades was even worse. On March 11, 1888, a snow storm slammed New York. Referred to as the “Great White Hurricane”, heavy snow buried the city in drifts of up to 30 feet high. Communications were cut off, transportation was paralyzed and ships sunk. At least 400 people were reported dead from the extreme weather event.

Sources:
NOAA | NASA | www.nyc.gov | www.wrh.noaa.gov | http://www.erh.noaa.gov/hydromet/ | www.nycsubway.org | Yahoo! News

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As of 2 AM today, temperatures in some areas of Luzon has slightly increased compared to yesterday’s record.

Northeast monsoon affecting Luzon will bring cloudy skies with light rains over Cagayan Valley, Bicol, CALABARZON and even provinces of Aurora, Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Quezon.

The rest of Luzon including Metro Manila will most likely to have sunny weather but expect partly cloudy skies with isolated light rains due to northeast monsoon.

Visayas and Mindanao may continue to enjoy the good weather condition.

PAGASA weather forecaster Jun Galang said we might look forward to fair weather condition until January ends. The state weather bureau is not expecting any weather disturbances till the last day of the month.

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February Is Panagbenga

Galang confirmed of good weather condition for the month of February at Baguio City.

The city of Pines has small chances of experiencing rains, according to climatological data of PAGASA, rain days for Baguio City only accounts to three.

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Temperature will make Panagbenga Festival more enjoyable. Based on the forecast temperature, Baguio City will still have cold weather and lower temperature.

The Philippines is forecast to remain bagyo-free in the remaining days of January. However, two weather systems will still prevail in the country – the Tail-end of a Cold Front affecting Eastern Visayas and the Northeast Monsoon ub Luzon.

Based on PAGASA’s latest weather forecast, Eastern Visayas and CARAGA will continue to experience light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms. Luzon, including Metro Manila, will have partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated cases of light rains. The rest of Visayas and Mindanao, on the other hand, can expect fair weather conditions today.

The weather bureau also released the final gale warning as the surge of the Northeast Monsoon weakened. Sea condition will be moderate to rough.

Meanwhile, PAGASA recorded 18.1°C in Metro Manila today, January 76, 2015. So far, this is the lowest temperature listed in the said area during the current Amihan Season. State meteorologist Buddy Javier says lower temperatures are still possible in the following days or weeks as we are still in the peak months of the Northeast Monsoon.

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No weather disturbance is monitored inside or outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility on the remaining days of January, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Glaiza Escullar claimed.

However, it’s best for residents of Eastern Visayas and CARAGA to bring umbrellas today as the Tail-end of a Cold Front brings cloudy skies and light to moderate rains in the said regions.

The whole Luzon, including Metro Manila, will have partly cloudy to at times, cloudy skies with isolated cases of light rains generated by the Northeast Monsoon or amihan.

The remaining parts of Visayas and Mindanao, on the other hand, can expect fair weather condition apart from localized thunderstorms.

Meanwhile, the surge of the Northeast Monsoon generates rough to very rough sea conditions over the eastern seaboards of Visayas and of CARAGA region, prompting PAGASA to release a new gale warning, advising fishermen not to venture out into the sea due to strong winds and big waves.

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BAGUIO CITY AT ITS COOLEST

On January 24, 2015, PAGASA recorded Baguio City’s lowest temperature of 10.4’°C during the current Amihan season. Is it possible to have a lower temperature than that? Escullar says yes. The climatological low in Baguio is usually recorded during the last half of January up until mid-February. With the northeast monsoon peak during these months, Baguio City will continue to have cool temperatures and the possibility of further drops in temperature in the following days or weeks.

WEATHER IN FEBRUARY: A SYNOPSIS

Climatological records of the weather bureau shows an average of 0 – 1 tropical cyclones, apart from the Tail-end of a Cold Front and the Northeast Monsoon as the dominant weather systems prevailing in the country during this month.

The Tail-end of a Cold Front is the convergence of two different air masses–cold and dry air coming from Siberia called amihan, and warm, humid air from the Pacific Ocean called the Easterlies. This convergence brings light to moderate rains and possible thunderstorms over the affected areas.

Amihan brings lower temperatures and light rains usually in the northern and eastern sections of the country. It starts mid-October to late March, peaking on the months of January to February.

No weather disturbance or tropical cyclone is existing within the Philippine Area of Responsibility. However, due to the prevailing weather systems, some areas will still experience rains today. The tail end of a cold front will affect the eastern section of Central and Southern Luzon while the northeast monsoon or amihan continues to affect Northern Luzon.

The tail end of a cold front is the extended part of a cold front. The cold front, on the other hand, is formed when the cold air mass dominates the warm air mass during convergence. Meanwhile, amihan is cold and dry air coming from Mainland China or Siberia.

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Bicol Region, Aurora, Quezon and Samar will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms. Cordillera, Ilocos and Cagayan Valley will experience cloudy skies with light rains. Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains while the rest of Visayas and Mindanao will have a generally fair weather aside from the possible isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

Amihan continues to bring colder mornings, mostly in Northern Luzon. This morning, PAGASA recorded the lowest temperature in Baguio City at 11.2°C.

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Gale warning is still up over the eastern seaboard of Luzon and Visayas, as well as the northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon. Expect wind force of 52 to 63 kilometers per hour with wave height of 3.4 to 4.5 meters. With rough to very rough sea conditions, fishing boats and other small sea craft are not advised to venture out into the sea.

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Though the Low Pressure Area (LPA), formerly Bagyong Amang, continues to bring light to moderate rains in the regions of Cagayan Valley and Cordillera, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Buddy Javier says it is expected to dissipate within 24 hours. Afterwhich, the northeast monsoon will then prevail in Luzon.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will experience cloudy skies with light rains due to the said weather system. Visayas and Mindanao can expect partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

With the strong surge of the northeast monsoon, PAGASA has issued a new gale warning. Rough to very rough sea conditions are expected in the seaboards of Northern Luzon. The agency advises against sea travel in the mentioned coasts in the following hours.

In other news, a magnitude 5.6 earthquake shook Simunul, Tawi-Tawi at 1:19 AM today. PHIVOLCS reported an intensity 4 in Simunul, Bongao and Panglima Sugala in Tawi-Tawi and in Siasi in Sulu. Intensity 3 was recorded in Languyan, Tawi-Tawi and in Maimbung, Sulu. Although there is no expected damage after the quake, aftershocks in the following hours may occur.

Source: PHIVOLCS
Source: PHIVOLCS

Bagyong Amang came when the Pope arrived in the Philippines. Now it’s dissipating on the same day Pope Francis is leaving the country.

Amang, known as Mekkhala internationally, has weakened into a low pressure area this morning. Public Storm Warning Signals have been lifted.

Estimated at 85 km Northeast of Casiguran, Aurora at 10 am today, it is still expected to bring light to moderate rains over the regions Cagayan Valley, Cordillera and Ilocos.

State Meteorologist Glaiza Escullar says that the said weather disturbance has weakened due to the following factors:

1) Vertical wind shear. With a stronger wind shear, the heat is dispersed over a large area, weakening the tropical cyclone.

2) Friction effect.

3) Sea condition. As it moves relatively northward, the sea surface temperature gets lower, unable to sustain the strength of the bagyo.

4) Northeast monsoon. Cold and dry air intrusion is not conducive for any weather disturbance as this needs warm temperature to develop.

Expected to dissipate within 24 hours, Amang has made landfall thrice as a tropical cyclone and has crossed another as a low pressure area. Here’s its latest landfall track:

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Today, the regions of Cagayan Valley, Cordillera and Ilocos will continue to experience light to moderate rains due to the existing weather disturbance. The rest of Luzon, including Metro Manila, will have cloudy skies with light rains caused by the prevailing northeast monsoon.

Visayas and Mindanao, on the other hand, can expect improved weather conditions apart from isolated thunderstorms.

In other related news, gale warning has been issued over the seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon, and the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon. Wave height may reach up to 4.5 meters, making sea travel risky
in the following hours.

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LAST DAY OF THE PAPAL VISIT

After a 5-day visit, the Pope will be leaving for Rome at 10 AM today. A departure ceremony will be held at the Presidential Pavilion of the Villamor Airbase.

Santo Papa Thank you

Tropical storm Amang made its first landfall at 3:00 PM yesterday. At 7:00 AM today, it was estimated at 60 kilometers north northeast of Sorsogon City or 25 kilometers southwest of Virac, Catanduanes packing winds of 85 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 100 kilometers per hour. At a speed of 15 kilometers per hour, it moves in a northwest direction.

Public Storm Warning Signals are still up overs some areas of Luzon and Visayas.

Residents in low-lying and mountainous areas under the storm signals are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides. Occurrence of ocean waves that may reach 6.5 meters are still possible within the 350 kilometer-diameter of Amang.

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Bicol Region and the provinces of Samar, Quezon and Aurora will experience stormy weather. Metro Manila, the rest of CALABARZON and the provinces of Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Bulacan, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque at Romblon will have rains with gusty winds. Western Visayas and the province of Leyte will be cloudy with light to moderate rains.

The rest of Visayas and Mindanao will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with a chance of thunderstorms while the rest of Luzon will be cloudy with light rains brought by the northeast monsoon or amihan.

Meanwhile, sea travel for fishing boats and other small seacraft is still risky on the seaboards of Luzon, Visayas and the eastern seaboard of Mindanao.

Papal Visit Day 4 Weather Forecast