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Earlier this morning, devotees of the Black Nazarene faced light rains during the Pahalik event of the Traslacion 2015. This weather condition will likely continue during the procession.

PAGASA explains this is due to the prevailing northeast monsoon affecting Luzon. This will continue to bring cloudy skies with light rains in Metro Manila, Aurora and the regions of Bicol, CALABARZON, Cagayan Valley and Cordillera. The rest of Luzon can expect isolated cases of light rains brought by the same weather system.

CARAGA, Central Visayas and the provinces of Leyte and Camiguin will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers caused by a wind convergence. The remaining parts of the country will enjoy fair weather apart from isolated thunderstorms.

Gale warning has been issued inthe seaboards of Luzon and Visayas, as well as in the seaboards of the CARAGA region. Apart from strong to gale force winds, rough to very rough sea conditions are also expected, making sea travel risky in the following hours.

Meanwhile, Panahon TV continues to monitor the low pressure area (LPA) outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). State meteorologist Jori Loiz states that the said weather disturbance is expected to enter PAR between Sunday and Monday.

Currently, it has a slim chance of intensifying into a tropical cyclone due to unfavorable conditi

THE FEAST OF THE BLACK NAZARENE

Black Nazarene

Every year, thousands of devotees flock to Manila to be part of the “traslacion” or the transfer of the Black Nazarene, which commemorates the transfer of the statue from a church in Intramuros to Quiapo Church on the 9th of January in 1767. It is one of the biggest religious processions in the Philippines.

The 248-year icon is considered by faithful devotees of the Nuestro Padre Jesus Nazareno as miraculous. In 2014, 3 million devotees attended the procession, with the parade lasting 19 hours. The longest parade was in 2012, which went on for 22 hours.

Due to a fire incident in Escolta, organizers of the feast have updated the routes of the procession. See below for changes:

Route Bago

Today is the “Pahalik,” wherein the Black Nazarene of the Quiapo Church is brought to Luneta to make it more accessible for devotees to kiss and touch. For those planning to attend the event, remember to bring your umbrellas. According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Meno Mendoza, Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon may be affected by the northeast monsoon, resulting to partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains.

Meanwhile, CARAGA, Davao, and Northern Mindanao will experience light to moderate rains due to wind convergence or the boundary where the northeast monsoon and winds from the east meet.

The rest of the country, including Visayas, will have good weather condition today. Isolated rains and thunderstorms will be prevalent in the afternoon or evening.

The cloud clousters outside PAR (Philippine Area of Responsibility) has now developed into a low pressure area and has a possibility to enhance into a tropical cyclone.
But, good news from the weather bureau, the said weather disturbance will not affect any part of the country. Therefore, we may look forward to sunny days ahead.

Amihan (Northeast monsoon) until March

The termination of the northeast monsoon last season was on March 26, 2014. Mendoza says that most likely, this year’s amihan will also probably last until March. PAGASA will completely terminate the amihan season when the easterlies (another wind system from the east) becomes dominant.

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Only one weather system is affecting the country–the northeast monsoon extending over the Luzon area. This will bring isolated lights rains in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon.

Meanwhile, the CARAGA and Davao regions will experiecne light to moderate rain showers brought by wind convergence. The meeting of the northeast monsoon and easterlies creates thunderstorm clouds.

The rest of the country will continue to have fair weather aside from isolated rains in the afternoon or evening.

Lowest tenperature today

As of 2 AM, below is the list of PAGASA’s recorded minimum tenperatures in the Luzon area.

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2015 is here! Another year, another set of goals. But before we outline our plans for the new year, let us first familiarize ourselves with this month’s weather.

1) Rains won’t go away yet.

GF1

This month marks the start of another year but rainy days won’t end yet for some areas of the country. PAGASA Weather Forecaster Buddy Javier said the northeast monsoon or amihan and the tail end of a cold front will be dominant. Amihan is cold and dry air coming from Mainland China or Siberia, bringing light rains mostly over Northern and Central Luzon.

Meanwhile, the tail end of a cold front refers to the extended part of a cold front which is formed when the cold air mass dominates the warm air mass during a convergence. Javier added that at this time, Southern Luzon usually experiences cloudy skies, as well as light and moderate to occasionally heavy rain showers and thunderstorms. However, the tail end of a cold front can recede or move, depending on the strength of amihan.

2) January’s not totally “bagyo-free”.

According to PAGASA, the average number of tropical cyclones that usually enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) this month is 0 to 1. This means that there is still a chance for us to experience stormy weather even in the first month of the year.

Climatologically speaking, a cyclone that may enter the PAR could cross the archipelago or make landfall, particularly over the Visayas area. It is also possible for it to re-curve, moving away from the landmass. The surge of the northeast monsoon or amihan influences its movement.

0 to 1

3) The much awaited sweater-weather is here.

Amihan peaks this month, bringing colder weather mostly over Luzon. Minimum temperatures are usually recorded during this chilly part of the year. One of the significant amihan-related events happened on January 18, 1961 when Baguio City’s temperature dropped to 6.3 degrees Celsius.

BAGUIO TEMP

The Philippines remains bagyo-free on the first Monday of 2015. Weather forecaster Glaiza Escullar says in an interview that no weather disturbance has been monitored inside or outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

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Two weather systems remain to influence the country’s weather – the tail-end of a cold front in Eastern Visayas and the northeast monsoon prevailing in Luzon.

The tail-end of a cold front is the boundary between the northeasterlies and the easterlies. The convergence of the cold and dry air of the former and the warm and humid air of the latter generate cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers.

On the other hand, the northeast monsoon or amihan brings light rains over the regions of Cagayan Valley and Cordillera. Isolated rain showers can be experienced in Metro Manila and the remaining parts of Luzon. The rest of the country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated thunderstorms.

Meanwhile, PAGASA has not issued any gale warnings today after releasing the final advisory yesterday due to the weakened northeast monsoon.

AMIHAN: THE COLDEST DAYS

According to PAGASA, the peak months of the northeast monsoon are January and February when the lowest temperatures during the season are recorded.

In history, the lowest temperature ever recorded in the Philippines was in Baguio City on January 18, 1961 with 6.3 degrees Celsius.

Metro Manila, which has three stations, recorded the lowest temperatures ranging from 14.5 to 14.9 degrees Celsius as shown below:

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As of 1:00 AM today, the low pressure area (LPA) has exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). This LPA was the former Seniang, the last tropical cyclone that entered the PAR last year. Meanwhile, two weather systems will affect the country today, including the tail end of a cold front and the northeast monsoon or amihan that prevails over Luzon.

Due to the gradual intensification of amihan, the tail end of a cold front slightly moved downward, bringing cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms over Eastern Visayas. Amihan, characterized by cold and dry air coming from Mainland China or Siberia, will bring light rains over the Bicol Region, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera, CALABARZON and MIMAROPA. Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated light rains while the rest of the country will have generally fair weather aside from isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

Sea travel is still risky in the seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon, and the Visayas, as well as the eastern, western and southern seaboards of Southern Luzon. Wave height could reach up to 3.4 to 4.5 meters, with wind force ranging from 52 to 63 kilometers per hour.

PAGASA Weather Forecaster Buddy Javier said that this month, the average number of tropical cyclones that may enter PAR is 0 to 1. A cyclone normally moves towards Visayas but there will be an instance that it may also re-curve upward, away from the landmass.

Cold weather greeted the new year yesterday. Here are the 5 lowest temperatures recorded on the 1st day of 2015:

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This morning, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Jori Loiz shared that Baguio City’s temperature dropped to 11°C at 2:00 AM while 20.3°C was recorded at the PAGASA Science Garden in Quezon City.

Lowest Temperature

As amihan peaks this month, the minimum temperatures and colder days are usually felt during this part of the year. However, aside from the chill, this weather system will also bring light rains over the affected areas.

Before 2014 officially ended last night, Seniang further weakened and became a low pressure area (LPA). At 4:00AM today, it was estimated at 210 kilometers south-southeast of Puerto Princesa City. According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Chris Perez, it is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) tonight or tomorrow.

Aside from the LPA, the tail end of a cold front, which is formed when the cold air mass dominates the warm air, will affect the Bicol Region. Meanwhile, the northeast monsoon or amihan, characterized by cold and dry air coming from Siberia or Mainland China, will prevail over Northern and Central Luzon. PAGASA Weather Forecaster Buddy Javier explained that the LPA has weakened due to the effect of amihan or cold intrusion, which is not favorable for the intensification of a tropical cyclone.

As we welcome the first day of a brand new year, some parts of the archipelago will experience rains mostly over Southern Palawan, where the LPA may dump moderate to occasionally heavy rain showers and thunderstorms. Bicol Region, the rest of MIMAROPA and the province of Quezon will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms.

Cagayan Valley and Cordillera will experience light rains while Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains. Improved weather will continue over Visayas and Mindanao, with possible isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

Gale warning is still up over the seaboards of Northern, Central and Southern Luzon, and the seaboards of Visayas. These areas will experience rough to very rough sea conditions with wave height ranging from 3.4 to 4.5 meters. Sea travel is risky for fishing boats and other small seacraft.

PAGASA added that no other weather disturbance is being monitored outside the PAR. However, all are still advised to monitor updates from the weather bureau.

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On the last day of this year, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astonomical Services Administration (PAGASA) continues to monitorTropical Storm Seniang with international name Jangmi. It was locatedat 245 kilometers south southeast of Cuyo, Palawan at 9:00 AM today.
It has weakened into a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour.

With its continuous movement in a west-southwest direction at 13 kilometers per hour, Seniang is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday, January 2, 2015.

Public Storm Warning Signal Number 1 is up over Palawan where winds of 30 to 60 kilometers per hour are expected. Residents are alerted against possible flash floods and landslides.

The combined effect of the northeast monsoon or amihan and the winds
associated with Seniang will bring rough to very rough sea conditions in the seaboards of Northern, Central and Southern Luzon and Visayas. Fishing boats and other small seacraft are still prohibited from venturing out into the mentioned seas.

Palawan will experience rains with gusty winds. Cloudy skies will dump light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms over Visayas, Bicol Region and the provinces of Quezon, Mindoro and Marinduque. Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will experience light rains, while Mindanao will have improved weather. Still, partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms are expected.

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PAGASA issues special weather outlook for New Year

Based on the outlook, rains will continue on the first day of 2015. Seniang may bring rains with gusty winds over Palawan, while the Bicol Region, CALABARZON, Western Visayas and the provinces of Mindoro, Marinduque and Romblon will have cloudy skies with light to moderate
rain showers and thunderstorms. Metro Manila and Central Luzon will be cloudy with light rains and the rest of the country will have a generally fair weather aside from the isolated cases of rain showers or thunderstorms.

Changes may still occur depending on the weather systems that will prevail within the PAR. All are advised to monitor updates.

OUTLOOK

At 4:45 AM today, Tropical Storm Seniang made landfall over Sibonga, Cebu with maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 80 kilometers per hour. At 7:00 AM, it made another landfall over Guihulngan, Negros Oriental and at 8:00 AM, it was located in the vicinity of La Libertad, Negros Oriental.

Public Storm Warning Signals are still up over some areas of Visayas and Mindanao.

5AM Seninag Dec 30

Stormy weather will be experienced over Central Visayas and the provinces of Negros Occidental and Guimaras. The rest of Western Visayas and the provinces of Leyte, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, Camotes Island, Zamboanga del Norte and Camihuin will have rains with gusty winds.

Bicol Region and Samar provinces will be cloudy with moderate to heavy rain showers and thunderstorms. Residents are alerted against possible flash floods and landslides. Metro Manila, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA and the rest of Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms, while the rest of Luzon will be cloudy with light rains.

Travel for small seacraft is risky in the seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon, the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon, Visayas and the northern and eastern seaboards of Mindanao.

According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Buddy Javier, Seniang’s current intensity is capable of generating ocean waves that may reach up to 5 meters. Javier added that it is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Friday, January 2, 2015 if it maintains its speed and direction.

Free rides on Rizal Day

Today, December 30, marks the death anniversary of our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. In line with this, LRT and MRT stations will be giving free rides for commuters. See image below for reference:

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