Though according to the International Research Institute (IRI), the strong El Nino could be felt this month, reaching its peak in February 2016, the Northeast Monsoon or the Amihan still manages to bring cold weather during dawn and/or evening. Today, it is forecast to affect Northern Luzon, bringing light rains over Batanes, Calayan and the Babuyan Group of Islands. Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon are expected to experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains. Visayas and Mindanao will experience generally fair weather conditions.
Gale warning is back, and was raised in the northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon. Because of the alert of big waves due to the rough to very rough sea conditions, fisherfolk and those with small seacraft are not allowed from venturing into the said seaboards.
Meanwhile, according to PAGASA, we are still not expecting any weather disturbance both inside and outside our boundary within the next three (3) days. However, it is advisable to continuously monitor updates about the weather.
As the Northeast Monsoon or Amihan prevails in Northern Luzon, bringing moderately cold weather and light rains over Metro Manila and the regions of Cagayan valley, Ilocos and CORDILLERA. Meanwhile the Tail-end of a Cold Front will bring light to moderate rains over Central Luzon and the provinces of Quezon. As for the rest of our country, fair weather condition is expected.
Due to the strong winds associated with the Amihan, gale warning is still raised in the seaboards of Northern Luzon. Fisherfolk and those with small seacraft are still not allowed to venture into the said seaboards due to rough to very rough sea conditions.
Meanwhile, according to PAGASA dry condition, dry spell and drought are still expected in the areas in Luzon, Visayas and in Mindanao. This coming December, El Nino might have a more intense effect on our country. The whole nation is encouraged to conserve water. Here are some tips:
Though weather these BER months may not be as cold as that in previous months because of the El Niño ( http://www.panahon.tv/blog/2015/10/el-nino-getting-stronger-threatens-ph-until-2016/ ), we cannot deny that we’ve been waking up to cooler, crisper air these past few weeks. To make sure you’re prepared for the weather changes, keep these five things in your bag.
A no-brainer essential when it’s cold, a jacket can also be a handy way to protect you from the sudden rains. Opt for hoodies that can keep your head dry and warm during cold, rainy days.
If wearing jackets is not your thing, shawls and scarves are fashionable ways to keep warm. There are several ways to wear them too—as a shrug, as a wrap, as a neck warmer. With several designs and colors to choose from, these accessories don’t only make you look good; you can also use them to wipe off sweat, as a pouch, or as a blanket for an impromptu picnic! When it’s sunny, use it to cover your head as a stylish sunscreen.
When cold weather comes, expect dry skin. That’s because the air holds less moisture at this time. To prevent skin from drying out, which makes it more susceptible to skin breakage, always bring a small bottle of lotion, which you can apply several times during the day.
During this season, our lips are also at the mercy of cold weather. Avoid chapped, cracked lips by regularly using lip balm. Remember that lip balm is not just a girl thing; there are plenty of untinted lip balms guys can use. Moisturize your lips because extreme dryness can lead to sores, which can be pretty painful.
During cold weather, our bodies sometimes lose their sense of thirst. Be conscious of your water intake, and always bring a bottle of water with you at all times. This helps keep you hydrated and energized even when it’s cold.
The El Niño phenomenon has become one of the most pressing global concerns today. Just recently, PAGASA has issued an update and climate outlook to prepare the public for the impending effects of El Niño, which is now being classified as a “strong” one. El Niño is a climatic condition wherein an unusual increase in sea surface temperature (SST) or warming of the ocean is observed.
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) says a mature and strong El Niño is now in progress in the tropical Pacific, and will more likely to strengthen before the end of the present year.
WMO added that the 2015-2016 El Niño event will potentially be among the four strongest since 1950. These include the El Niño phenomena experienced during 1972-73, 1982-83 and 1997-98.
Meanwhile, according to the International Research Institute (IRI), the chance of El Niño lasting throughout the March-April-May 2016 season is greater than 95%. It also has a near 78% chance of continuing throughout the April-May-June 2016 season.
PAGASA says that from October this year until March of 2016, the weather systems that may affect the country are the Northeast Monsoon, Tail end of a cold front, Easterly Wave, Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), Low Pressure Areas (LPAs), Ridge of High Pressure Area and Tropical Cyclones.
When it comes to rainfall, the forecast of the weather bureau shows significant reduction in the coming months. This October, some areas of Mindanao are expected to receive the highest amount, while most parts of the archipelago may possibly have less rainfall.
20% of our country will experience dry conditions, dry spells and droughts. A dry condition is defined as two consecutive months of below-normal rainfall condition. A dry spell, on the other hand, happens when below-the-normal rainfall is experienced in three consecutive months, while a drought is defined as three consecutive months of way-below normal rainfall.
Currently, 23 provinces are under dry conditions, 10 under dry spells, and 6 are threatened by droughts.
According to PAGASA, four to eight tropical cylones may develop or enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) until June 2016. Two to five tropical cyclones are expected to enter the PAR until the end of December 2015.
The public is reminded to keep monitoring updates, and to practice water conservation for preparation against the impacts of the prevailing El Niño.
Sources:
WMO
IRI
PAGASA-DOST
PAGASA officials delivered the latest on El Niño at a press conference held at the PAGASA Science Garden in Quezon City last Friday, May 29, 2015.
Dr. Flaviana Hilario, Administrator’s Office OIC said that the weak El Niño in the Tropical Pacific is expected to intensify into a moderate El Niño by August 2015 and will persist until the end of 2015.
With this scenario, 7 provinces are expected to experience droughts by August to December this year. Meanwhile, based on the Drought and Dry Spell outlook for the month of June, 47 provinces affected by drought or dry spell are likely to improve. Most of these areas are located in the western part of the country, which will receive rains when the southwest monsoon prevails. 13 more provinces affected by drought or dry spell are likely to continue next month.
The onset of the rainy season is expected to commence by mid-June 2015 onwards. PAGASA added that 11 to 16 tropical cyclones are forecast to develop or enter Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) from June to December 2015.
Typhoons are possible because of the warm air and sea surface temperature. The El Niño event may gradually weaken in the early months of 2016 and likely reach its termination by May 2016.
Typhoon Dolphin is no longer expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility.
According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Buddy Javier, the said weather disturbance is set to recurve as the presence of the High Pressure Area above the Philippines hinders its supposed entry into the country’s eastern boundary.
Today, the Ridge of High Pressure Area reaching Luzon brings partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms usually occurring in the afternoon or evening. The same weather condition is expected to persist this weekend.
Meanwhile, the El Nino phenomenon is expected to persist in the northern hemisphere until the end of 2015. Based on the latest data of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the sea surface temperature anomaly continues in the equatorial Pacific.
In the Philippines, the persistence of the said phenomenon will incur below normal rainfall, above normal temperatures and weak tropical cyclone activity.
More than five years in the making, the undefeated American boxer Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. will finally exchange blows with eight-time, eight-division champ Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao. As the entire nation eagerly anticipates the battle, here’s a quick guide to one of the biggest boxing fights in decades.
IN A NUTSHELL: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FIGHT OF THE CENTURY
WHERE:
MGM Grand Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada
WHEN:
The two best pound-for-pound fighters in the world will face off in the Welterweight showdown on Saturday night (May 2) in Las Vegas. The fight will air in the Philippines on Sunday, May 3.
THE FIGHTERS:
THEIR BOXING STYLES:
MAYWEATHER: Orthodox.
One of the most common stances in boxing, the right-handed Floyd will be leading with the left side of his body. Michael Olajide Jr. of Vogue writes Floyd is a “consummate boxer. Abides by the rule, ‘Hit and don’t get hit.’ Defense before offense.”
Meanwhile, Sean Wagner-McGough of CBS Sports describes Mayweather as “the crafty, savvy boxer, a defensive wizard. But if anyone can break is going to break through the defense and land some meaningful blows on Mayweather, Pacquiao is the guy.”
PACQUIAO: Southpaw.
Manny is left-handed but he will be leading with the right side of his body. Olajide states “Pacman attacks suddenly with speed and power from awkward angles, which makes his punches hard to defend against. Offense is everything.”
Wagner-McGough adds that Pacquiao, being “one of the most aggressive, offensive forces of his generation, is the perfect contrast to Mayweather’s conservative style. It won’t be easy. You don’t connect often on Mayweather so he has to be even more active.”
THE VIEWING:
With ticket prices soaring and selling like hotcakes within a mere 60 seconds, the Mayweather – Pacquiao mega bout smashed all Pay-Per-View records. The fight will also be aired live in public on wide screen TVs. Fans can also watch and reserve tickets in participating bars, restaurants and hotels.
THE EARNINGS:
It is considered the biggest fight of this century and the biggest cash cow in boxing history. But Mayweather will earn a bit more than Pacquiao due to the 60/40 split they agreed on.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP BELT:
Costing a million dollars, the especially designed championship belt presents one-of-a-kind features.
Crafted in Mexico, the belt is made with green leather, the same material used in Ferraris, and studded with 3,017 Emeralds. It also contains 800 grams of Gold and some silver.
Representing the countries affiliated with the WBC, it showcases 165 national flags, and features the faces of former WBC president Jose Sulaiman, Mayweather, Pacquiao and the legendary Muhammad Ali.
THE ODDS:
Aggression, speed, angles and feints are the key points for Pacquiao to win this bout. Meanwhile, Mayweather will have to focus on countering, timing, and impeccable defense.
Mayweather remains to be the undefeated man, knowing for throwing harder punches as suggested by his KO ratio. However, Pacquiao’s offensive style is one that Floyd has never fought before.
MAY WEATHER
But whether or not the fight will result into win for our country, Panahon TV reminds us to gear up for our yearly bout with May weather.
This month is the peak of the Hot and Dry Season; so maximum temperatures are likely to be recorded at this time. In Metro Manila, the forecast temperature plays between 23 to 36 degrees Celsius.
The country will continue to experience warm and humid weather conditions due to the prevailing Easterlies. These are warm winds blowing from the east that pass through the Pacific Ocean, generating thunderstorms mostly over the eastern section of the Philippines.
The Ridge of High Pressure Area may also reach the northern regions. This weather system is characterized by very light winds and clear skies.
Meanwhile, the axis of the Intertropical Convergence Zone is also expected to affect the southern regions of the archipelago. ITCZ is the breeding ground of Low Pressure Areas (LPA) and tropical cyclones. This is brought about by the convergence of the winds coming from the northeast and southeast that causes thunderstorm formations.
LPAs may be expected to form and affect the country, with a chance of intensifying into a tropical cyclone or bagyo. During the month of May, the Philippines has an average of 1 to 2 tropical cyclones, with the forecast track record of hitting Southern Luzon and Central Visayas.
From the second week to the latter part of May, frequent thunderstorm formation occurs. Simply put, this month will have more rains experienced compared to April. Normal rainfall in Metro Manila is 174.98 millimeters but with the existence of the El Niño, forecast rainfall in the said area plays between 144.2 to 159.4 millimeters this month.
SOURCES:
Michael Olajide Jr. / April 29, 2015 / http://www.vogue.com/13257090/floyd-mayweather-manny-pacquiao-vegas-fight-2015/
Sean Wagner-McGough / April 30, 2015 / http://mweb.cbssports.com/general/eye-on-sports/25167909/mayweather-pacquiao-10-things-to-know-about-fight-of-the-century
Telegraph Sport / May 01, 2015 / http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/othersports/boxing/mayweather-vs-pacquiao/11573189/When-is-Floyd-Mayweather-vs-Pacquiao-what-channel.html
Payong PAGASA Climate Guide 2015
According to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), a dry spell has been affecting different parts of the country since December 2014. Dry spell happens when below the normal rainfall conditions (21% to 60% reduction from average) are experienced within three consecutive months or two consecutive months of way below normal rainfall conditions (more than 60% reduction from the average). As of April 7, 2015, 30 provinces have been affected – 13 in Luzon, 3 in Visayas and 14 in Mindanao.
PAGASA Weather Forecaster Meno Mendoza clarified that the dry spell is a normal phenomenon in the Philippines. However, this year’s spell is triggered or worsened because of the ongoing weak El Niño.
Prior to the termination of the northeast monsoon, PAGASA issued the first El Niño advisory in early March. In a press statement dated March 11, 2015, an on-going weak El Niño was confirmed through the climate monitoring and analyses of the state weather bureau. El Niño is a climatic condition characterized by the unusual warming of the ocean or an increased sea surface temperature (SST) in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific (CEEP).
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the term El Niño was originally recognized by fisherman off the coast of South America as the appearance of uncommon warm water in the Pacific Ocean. “El Niño” is also a Spanish term meaning “Little Boy” or “Christ child” because this phenomenon arrives around Christmas.
In Philippine context, the weak El Niño is expected to bring below the normal rainfall pattern and warmer air temperatures in different parts of the country in the coming months. Though the average number of tropical cyclones could still be normal, PAGASA has stated that weak El Niño could affect the cyclones’ movement and intensity, causing them to be more erratic and stronger.
Dry spell on electricity and agriculture
Along with the rise in temperatures, the Manila Electric Company (Meralco) said that electricity consumers might also experience an increased generation charge in their bills.
According to Meralco, electricity rates on April went up by 27 centavos on the back of the one-month maintenance shutdown of the Malampaya gas field, which forced power plants to use the more expensive liquid fuel. The overall electricity rate in April is P10.68 per kilowatt-hour, higher than the P10.42 per kwh rate in March, but lower than April 2014’s P11.49 per kwh. Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla said in an interview with the Philippine Star that the more critical period is in May, with demand expected to shoot up to as high as 9,100 megawatts.
Despite the escalating temperature, power industry players believe that the Luzon grid may survive the hot and dry season because there are no expected blackouts as feared by the public.
But the dry spell has posed a more concrete threat to the farming industry.
Zamboanga City has already been placed under a state of calamity. Reports said that as of March 30, the dry spell and bush fires have resulted to extensive damage in hectares of rice, corn, vegetables, bananas, cassava and coconuts amounting to more than P132 million.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council also declared M’lang and Kabacan in North Cotabato under a state of calamity. Due to dry spell, about P230 million worth of crops were reportedly damaged. Aside from the occurrence of grass fires, the absence of rains the past couple of months has also worsened the situation.
If humans feel the effect of soaring temperatures, animals suffer from their impact, too. The veterinary office in Kidapawan City reported that at least seven hogs and a cow died because of severe heat. The city office has also received reports that some farm animals have weakened, possibly due to heat stroke.
Water Conservation
Conserving water is a must during this current dry spell in the Philippines. Here are some of the water conservation tips that you can begin in your home:
Check and Fix. Regularly check your faucet for leaks. A small drip from an impaired faucet can waste gallons of water per day. Also, check your toilets for leaks. The rule is if there’s a leak, repair it immediately.
Turn it off. Make it a habit to turn off the faucet when not in use— even just for a short time while soaping hands, brushing your teeth and scrubbing the dishes.
The National Water Resources Board (NWRB) suggests turning off the faucet firmly to prevent leakage. It is better to install low volume/high pressure (LV/HP) nozzles or flow constrictors to reduce water usage by up to 50%.
Pair a pail with a dipper. When taking a bath, use a dipper and pail instead of always using the shower. In this way, you’ll be utilizing just the right amount of water.
Shorten baths. Due to the blazing heat, many of us love to take our time in bathing. However, this can contribute to the dry spell. By reducing your bath time by a couple of minutes, you can save gallons of water per day.
Get it fully loaded. It is recommended to wash only full loads in your washing machine to save water. You can also adjust the water levels to match the size of the load.
Know when to water your plants. Watering your plants is best done during the early morning or in the late afternoon. Early morning helps prevent the growth of fungus, and is also a defense against garden pests. Doing this can also reduce water loss or evaporation.
For energy saving tips, read here:
Going Beyond Earth Hour | Panahon TV Blog
Sources:
NOAA
NWRB
MERALCO
www.eartheasy.com
PAGASA-DOST
The Philippine Star
Manila Bulletin
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Philippine News Agency
Easterlies or winds coming from the Pacific Ocean prevails over the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) still affecting the eastern section of Luzon and Visayas. For today’s forecast, generally fair weather is expected in most parts of the country. The whole archipelago will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with chances of isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.
Since easterlies are warm and humid in nature, hot weather will continue in the Philippines. Metro Manila will experience 23 to 33 degrees Celsius while Metro Cebu’s temperature could reach 25 to 32 degrees Celsius. Metro Davao will feel the warmest weather this Friday with temperatures ranging from 25 to 34 degrees Celsius.
PAGASA Weather Forecaster Fernando Cada explained that different factors affect the heat felt in a certain area. These include the topography, location and the prevailing weather system or wind direction. For instance, Tuguegarao City normally experiences warmer days compared to other parts of Luzon because it is part of Cagayan Valley. With this kind of topography, heat is usually trapped by the surrounding mountains.
In another example, General Santos in Mindanao usually tops the list with the highest temperatures during the past few days. Cada said it is influenced by its location or latitude. General Santos is the southernmost part of the Philippines, thus, closer to the equator, which is always warmer than the North and South Poles.
Meanwhile, Cada stated that weak El Nino is still in progress and is expected to bring below the normal rainfall and higher temperatures in the country. El Nino is a climatic condition wherein unusual warming of the ocean or an increase in the sea surface temperature (SST) is observed.
For more information and trivia, watch the interview of Panahon TV with PAGASA Weather Forecaster Fernando Cada: