Weather Today – December 30, 2015 | #NONAPH to make landfall in Bicol area

A couple of days before Christmas, the Tropical Storm with international name “Melor” has entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at around 4:00A M today. It was given a local name “Nona”, the 14th tropical cyclone that entered the boundary this year.

At 10:00 AM today, it was estimated at 1, 025 kilometers east of Maasin, Southern Leyte. Carrying winds of 65 kilometer per hour and gustiness of up to 80 kilometer per hour, it is expected to move west-northwest at 17 kilometers per hour.

Nona may make landfall over Bicol Region on Tuesday morning if it maintains its speed and direction. Tomorrow morning, sea conditions in Southern Luzon and Visayas will become rough to very rough, making it risky for fishing boats and other seacraft to venture into the coastal waters. PAGASA Weather Specialist Rene Paciente says Public Storm Warning Signals (PSWS) may be hoisted tomorrow afternoon in the Bicol and Samar areas.

PAGASA alerted the residents of Bicol and Eastern Visayas as occasional rains and gusty winds may be experienced over Northern Samar and Bicol Region starting Monday. As of now, Nona has no direct effect yet on any part of the country.

Meanwhile, the Northeast Monsoon continues to affect the Northern Luzon. Cloudy skies with light rains will be experienced in the regions of Ilocos, Cordillera and Cagayan Valley. Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with chances of isolated light rains and/or thunderstorms.

NONOY to NONA

The initial list of Tropical Cyclone names shows that the 14th cyclone that will enter the PAR this year will be named “Nonoy”. However, upon entering the PAR, the weather bureau decided to change it to “Nona”.

According to PAGASA, they changed the name because it sounds like “Noynoy,” which is the current president’s nickname. PAGASA Information Unit Chief Venus Valdemoro added that they do not want it to be offensive or linked to any prominent person. They also do not want people to focus on the name, but to emphasize the preparedness and urgency instead.