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Bring out those light-colored clothes for your “Outfit of the Day” (OOTD) and keep your thirst quenchers on standby to help you cope with the heat today. Easterlies or winds from the Pacific will continue to bring warm and humid weather in most parts of the country.

In the next hours, generally fair weather will prevail in Metro Manila and the rest of the archipelago. However, all are still advised to monitor updates as isolated rain showers or thunderstorms may still occur in the afternoon or evening.

If you’re heading to the beach for a round of island hopping, sea conditions will be favorable as coastal waters throughout the country will be slight to moderate. Since no gale warning was issued today, traveling by sea is safe for fishing boats and other small seacraft.

As the Easterlies remain dominant, temperatures are also expected to soar. Heat index, also known as human discomfort index, is how our body perceives the temperature. To give you an idea of how warm it may get today, here are the highest possible heat indices.

(Tuguegarao City – 39.7°C
Metro Manila – 39.5°C
Laoag City – 38.9°C
Metro Cebu – 38.9°C
Puerto Princesa City – 38.2°C
SBMA, Olongapo City – 38.1°C)

Meanwhile, in an interview with Panahon TV, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Samuel Duran said the “tag-init” season may continue until June. He also added that as of now, the country remains storm-free and no weather disturbance is being monitored outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

Generally fair weather prevails today. According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Chris Perez, partly cloudy to cloudy skies will affect the archipelago only with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening as Easterlies, or warm and humid air from the Pacific Ocean, dominates.

Perez said, warm and humid weather is still expected today and heat index can soar up to 39.6 degrees Celsius.

If this good weather continues, we can enjoy various festivals this month.

In the Philippines, each city or municipality has a local festival of its own. The celebration includes the feast of the town’s patron saint, as well as an abundance of local products. Some of the festivals celebrated in May are the Bawang Festival of Ilocos province, the Hundred Islands Festival in Pangasinan, the Pahiyas Festival in Quezon, and the Flores de Mayo in almost every town.

Photo from PanahonTV Live Producer Paul Michael Caisip

PAGASA warns the public of the possible effects of thunderstorms this May.
In an interview with PAGASA Weather Forecaster Meno Mendoza, he mentioned that thunderstorms can bring heavy rains and hail storms. During a thunderstorm, lightning and thunder also occur, along with gusty winds and moderate to heavy rains.

“Ang pagkakaroon natin ng thunderstorms ay dahil pa rin sa mainit na panahon. Kapag mainit ang panahon, nagkakaroon tayo ng evaporation na nagiging daaan upang makabuo tayo ng mga kaulapan na pinanggagalingan ng thunderstorms.” (Thunderstorms are caused by humid weather. When it’s hot, evaporation occurs and forms clouds that cause thunderstorms.)

Today, partly cloudy to cloudy skies or generally fair weather prevails in the country except for isolated rain showers or thunderstorms in the afternoon or evening. This weather system is caused by Easterlies, warm and humid air from the Pacific Ocean, affecting the eastern sections of the country.

Quick Recap
A sizzling 39.4 degrees Celsius was felt yesterday in Tuguegarao City. Meanwhile, here are the highest heat indices recorded in other areas in the Philippines:

Metro Manila – 38.4
Puerto Princesa City – 38.3
Laoag City – 38.3
SBMA (Olongapo) – 38.2
Metro Cebu – 38. 1

What to expect?
The weather will be favourable for your outdoor plans this week as the country remains storm-free. PAGASA said that no weather disturbance is being monitored within and outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) in the next three days. Warm and humid weather will prevail due to the Easterlies or winds coming from the Pacific.

But since heat and moisture are the primary factors for water cycle, chances of rains are still possible in the latter part of the day. Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms will be experienced in the entire archipelago.

Overview: May Weather
This month, different weather systems are expected to affect the country. These include the Easterlies, Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and tropical cyclone. ITCZ is where winds from the Northern and Southern Hemispheres meet. It is composed of convective clouds which may bring rains and thunderstorms over the affected area.

An average number of 1 to 2 tropical cyclone usually enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). Once a cyclone enters the PAR, two scenarios are possible: it may hit the land or just move closer to landmass and re-curve away from the country.

The fair weather won’t spoil your long weekend vacation.
 
Today, the Easterlies or warm and humid air from the Pacific Ocean,continues to affect the eastern sections of the country. Because of this weather system, the whole country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies, except for isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.
 
According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Gener Quitlong, no weather disturbance is expected to affect the country in the first week of May.
 

Temperatures are also expected to soar. Perceived body heat in Metro Manila may reach up to 40 degrees Celsius while a scorching 38 degrees Celsius is expected in Cebu and Davao.