The Low Pressure Area (LPA) southeast of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan has developed into a Tropical Depression and was given the local name #TinoPH.
At 10:00 AM today, the Tropical Depression was located at 245 kilometers east-southeast of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan. It has maximum winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) with gustiness of 80 kph, moving in a west-northwest direction at a speed of 28 kph. It is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility tomorrow morning.
This weather disturbance is expected to make landfall in Southern Palawan this afternoon, between 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal Number 1 was hoisted in the said province.
Meanwhile, residents of MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), the Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, Caraga and Panay Island are alerted against possible flash floods and landslides. Metro Manila, CALABARZON (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), and the province of Aurora will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms.
Sea travel is risky in the seaboards of Palawan due to moderate to rough seas brought by Tropical Depression #TinoPH.
PAGASA continues to monitor the weather disturbance within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) which was last spotted at 355 kilometers southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur. In an interview with Panahon TV, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Samuel Duran said that this Low Pressure Area (LPA) is expected to develop into a Tropical Depression within the next 24 hours and will be named “Tinong”. Based on the initial track, it is expected to traverse the Visayas-Mindanao area and will eventually move towards Sulu Sea.
A rainy Thursday awaits the residents of Caraga, Northern Mindanao, the Zamboanga Peninsula and Davao Region. The said areas will experience cloudy skies and scattered to widespread rains and thunderstorms, which will bring chances of flash floods and landslides. Cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms will also affect ARMM, SOCCSKSARGEN and Central & Eastern Visayas.
Meanwhile, the prevailing Northeast Monsoon or Hanging Amihan will continue to bring isolated light rains in Northern Luzon, particularly in the regions of Ilocos, Cordillera and Cagayan Valley. Metro Manila and the remaining parts of Luzon and Visayas can expect generally fair weather apart from the isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.
Status of Kanlaon Volcano
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) has recorded two hundred seventeen (217) volcanic earthquakes during the past 24 hours in Mt. Kanlaon, Negros Island. An increasing number of tremors has been observed since August 2017. It was placed under Alert Level 2, indicating a moderate level of unrest or a possible magmatic eruption.
The public, including local government units (LGUs), are strictly prohibited from entering the 4-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) to avoid sudden steam-driven eruptions. Pilots in civil aviation authorities are also advised to refrain flying close to the volcano’s summit.
A possible tropical cyclone was spotted outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
Based on PAGASA’s 5:00 AM Weather Forecast, the Low Pressure Area (PAR) was spotted east of Mindanao.
In an interview with Panahon TV, Weather Forecaster Samuel Duran said that the LPA may enter PAR today and may develop into a tropical cyclone. The weather disturbance may cross areas in the Visayas and Mindanao.
Due to the advancing clouds or trough of the LPA, the Davao Region and Soccsksargen will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms. As the Northeast Monsoon prevails in the Northern Luzon, the regions of Ilocos, Cordillera and Cagayan Valley will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains. In the rest of the country including Metro Manila, partly cloudy to cloudy skies will be experienced with isolated rain showers.
The Low Pressure Area (LPA) in Palawan has dissipated, leaving the Northeast Monsoon or Amihan as the dominant weather system in the Extreme Northern Luzon.
The Northeast Monsoon, locally known as Amihan, is characterized by cold and dry air coming from mainland China or Siberia. During this season, a generally fair weather prevails but rains are still possible.
As this weather system prevails today, Batanes and Babuyan Group of Islands will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains. For the rest of the country including Metro Manila, a generally fair weather or partly cloudy to cloudy skies will be experienced except for isolated rain showers.
ASEAN 2017
Twenty heads of state, foreign media and delegates are in the Philippines to attend the 31st Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and Related Summits this week. A generally fair weather is expected to prevail as related meetings continue in key locations including Metro Manila, Pampanga and Bulacan.
In an interview, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Chris Perez said that no weather disturbance is expected to affect the country within the next two days.
The Low Pressure Area (LPA) monitored yesterday inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) has already dissipated. Meanwhile, another LPA was spotted at 90 km north-northeast of Puerto Princesa, Palawan. In an interview with Panahon TV, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Meno Mendoza said it has a slim chance of developing into a Tropical Cyclone, but is expected to traverse Palawan today.
Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula and Palawan will experience cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms. Metro Manila and the rest the archipelago will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with chances of rains or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.
For sea travelers coming from or heading to Northern Luzon, moderate to rough sea condition is expected,l while coastal waters in the Central & Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will be slight to moderate. No gale warning was issued today but fishing boats and other small seacraft are still advised to be vigilant.
Sunday Earthquakes
A magnitude 4.5 earthquake rocked portions of Visayas yesterday at around 2:33 PM. With a depth of 12 km, its epicenter was located at 14 km southeast of Pintuyan, Southern Leyte. Different intensities were recorded in the nearby areas.
Intensity IV – San Ricardo, Southern Leyte Intensity III – Surigao City; San Jose, Dinagat Islands & San Francisco, Southern Leyte Intensity II – Liloan, Southern Leyte
There are no reports of damage and aftershocks from the initial tremor.
On the other hand, a powerful earthquake that measured magnitude 7.3 jolted Iraq at 6:18 Coordinated Universal Time. At a depth of 23.3 km, its epicenter was located at 32 km south of Halabjah, Iraq. Based on the latest reports at 9:00 AM today, at least 100 people died while more than a hundred were injured.
After #SalomePH, a new weather disturbance is being monitored inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and was last spotted at 320 km east of General Santos City, South Cotabato. According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Meno Mendoza, the possibility for the LPA to develop into a Tropical Cyclone remains slim. However, its trough or extended cloudiness is expected to bring rains in several parts of Visayas and Mindanao.
A rainy Sunday will be experienced in Mindanao, Central Visayas and the provinces of Negros Occidental and Southern Leyte, where scattered rain showers and thunderstorms prevail. Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.
Meanwhile, the Northeast Monsoon or Hanging Amihan has weakened and is only affecting the extreme Northern Luzon. No gale warning was hoisted today but sea travelers including fisherfolk and other small seacraft are advised to take extra caution in the seaboards of Northern Luzon, Eastern Visayas and the eastern section of Central and Southern Luzon.
ASEAN Summit Weather
The Philippines is hosting the 30th ASEAN Summit, where several world leaders are expected to attend. According to PAGASA’s three-day weather forecast, the weather in Metro Manila will be generally fair, only with chances of isolated rain showers in the latter part of the day. Temperatures will be as warm as the Filipinos’ hospitality, ranging from 24-33 degrees Celsius.
Tropical Storm Salome has exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), but a new Low Pressure Area is being monitored by PAGASA.
At 3:00 AM, Tropical Storm Salome was spotted at 379 kilometers west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur. It has maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph), gustiness of 90 kph, moving northwest at 20 kph. According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Chris Perez, this weather disturbance no longer affects the country.
Meanwhile, a new weather disturbance is being monitored. According to Perez, the Low Pressure Area was last located at 875 kilometers east of Davao City, Davao del Sur. Although it has a slim chance of developing into a Tropical Cyclone, its trough will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms in Caraga, the Davao Region, and SOCCSKSARGEN. Residents are alerted against possible lightning, moderate to occasionally heavy rains, strong winds, and flash floods.
Luzon, Visayas and the remaining parts of the country will experience generally fair weather except for chances of localized thunderstorms.
Each year, an average of 20 tropical cyclones visit the country. Though all of them pose a threat, a few stand out because of the lives they have claimed.
As the year comes to a close, let’s look back at some of the most fatal tropical cyclones in our recorded history.
TYPHOON TITANG (KATE)
Pope Paul VI in Tondo/Photo from PIME Philippines Missionaries
Typhoon Titang’s strong winds and heavy rains left 631 people dead and 284 missing when it hit Western Visayas and Maguindanao in November 1970. In the same year, Pope Paul VI arrived in the Philippines. At that time, the country had just survived the then so-called “triplet typhoons”— Sening, Titang and Yoling.
TYPHOON REMING (DURIAN)
A man takes stock of his remaining belongings after Typhoon Reming triggered a landslide on the slopes of Mayon volcano in Albay/Photo from greenpeace.org
2006 was a challenging year for Bicolanos when Mayon Volcano erupted, followed by the ferocity of Typhoong Reming in November. Lahar from the volcano aggravated the floods, leaving 734 people dead and 762 others unaccounted for. Because of the disaster, the province of Albay learned the importance of adaptation.
TROPICAL DEPRESSION WINNIE
Debris flow along Subsob River, Dingalan, Aurora/Photo from naoh.edu.ph
The storm struck Luzon and Visayas in November 2004. Although Winnie was under the weakest tropical cyclone classification, it brought continuous rains especially in Central Luzon. Massive flash floods and landslides were recorded in Quezon and Aurora. 893 people died while 443 others went missing.
TYPHOON NITANG (IKE)
Map of Central Visayas
In September 1984, Typhoon Nitang tore Central Visayas. Rains induced by the typhoon caused rivers to overflow. At least 1,029 people perished and 464 others went missing.
TYPHOON SENDONG (WASHI)
A village near Iligan City was demaged by rampaging flood waters after Typhoon Sendong/dailymail.co.uk
A week before Christmas 2011, Typhoon Sendong hit the northern part of Mindanao. Days prior, a report from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of America said that Sendong was carrying almost the same volume of rainwater that Tropical Storm Ondoy dumped in 2009. NDRRMC said, 1,268 people were killed and 181 have yet to be found.
TYPHOON PABLO (BOPHA)
Aerial view of Boston, Davao Oriental after Typhoon Pablo/AP Photo/Philippine Army 10th Infantry Division
Typhoon Pablo is one of the worst typhoons to hit Mindanao. In December 2012, it caused massive floods and landslides, killing more than 1,200 people and caused 797 to go missing. The devastation prompted PAGASA to retire “Pablo” from its list of tropical cyclone names.
TROPICAL STORM URING (THELMA)
Debris from the forest piled-up on houses in Ormoc City/Photo by Jose Duran/AFP
On November 5, 1991, Tropical Storm Uring ravaged Leyte– an incident which is known today as the “Ormoc Tragedy.” The storm buried the eastern and western plains of the province in water, sediments and debris. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, the typhoon killed 5,101 people while 1,256 others went missing.
TYPHOON YOLANDA (HAIYAN)
Devastation in Guiuan, Eastern Samar, where Yolanda first hit land./AFP Central Command photo
Considered as one of the strongest tropical cyclones in world history, Typhoon Yolanda devastated Eastern Visayas, particularly the provinces of Tacloban, Leyte in November 2013. The typhoon caused heavy rains, strong winds and storm surges. It had cloud bonds of 600 kilometers in diameter and made six landfall activities in the following areas:
The typhoon left 6,300 people dead while 1,062 others remain missing. The devastation of Yolanda paved the way for a more accurate way of weather forecasting. PAGASA began providing NDRRMC a forecast track that included five days instead of three to allow a closer monitoring of weather disturbances The weather bureau now holds press conferences to disseminate information faster. A year after Yolanda, PAGASA officially added Storm Signal no. 5 and Super Typhoon (STY) to its warnings and categories for tropical cyclones.
*Figures from the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council
At 10:00 AM today, a Low Pressure Area (LPA) was spotted at 450 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar. Through its 11:00 AM Weather Advisory, PAGASA said that the LPA may develop into a tropical cyclone within the next 24 to 48 hours. According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Robert Badrina, it may cross Eastern Visayas and Southern Luzon, and may bring rains in Metro Manila by Thursday until Saturday.
Apart from the LPA, the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is causing rains in Palawan and Mindanao, while the Northeast Monsoon dampens Northern and Central Luzon.
Today, the Zamboanga Peninsula and Palawan will experience cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to the ITCZ. The LPA will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms in Eastern Visayas, Caraga, and Davao Region. For Metro Manila and the regions of Cagayan Valley, Ilocos, Cordillera and Central Luzon, partly cloudy to cloudy skies will prevail with isolated light rains due to the Amihan. The rest of the country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
