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In just a few hours, we will be welcoming a new year! As much as we love to treat ourselves to a joyous moment with our friends and families, there is also a need to celebrate with caution. Here are a few tips to ensure that you’ll enter a new phase safely.

1. Skip the firecrackers.
As of December 28, 2017, the Department of Health (DOH) has already recorded 61 firecracker-related injuries nationwide. This figure is a lot lower than the reported cases last year which blasted to more than 600. While a significant decrease has been observed this year, we can still minimize the number of injuries by refraining from using firecrackers.

In compliance to President Rodrigo Duterte’s Executive Order No. 28, private citizens are banned from using firecrackers or staging fireworks displays in their residential areas. Meanwhile, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), together with the Local Government Units (LGUs), has already identified official firecracker zones and fireworks display zones in Metro Manila. The public is reminded about the cities with a complete firecracker ban which include Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Parañaque, Pasig and Pateros.

2. Opt for alternative noisemakers.
The New Year’s celebration isn’t complete without making noise. Because of the firecracker ban, indulge in alternative ways of ending the year with a bang, such as blowing loud horns and whistles, banging pots and pans or turning up your radio.

3. Celebrate the budget-friendly way.
There are several groups or organizations that organize events such as New Year countdowns, concerts, fireworks displays and more. You can search the net for activities that are scheduled to pump up the crowd and create memorable New Year experiences.

4. Show extra love to your pets.
Sudden loud noises can stress your furry friends at home. As a responsible pet owner, give extra attention to your precious animals so they won’t panic. Make sure to keep them inside a room with comforting music to drown out the noise. More tips from this report:

5. Monitor the weather and other news.
Amidst the celebration, our safety must always be a priority. Along with the changing dates are also the changes in our weather. Tropical cyclones and other weather disturbances may hamper your plans so take time to monitor updates and other announcements.

Satellite image as of 11:00 AM

The cloud cluster located east of Mindanao has developed into a Low Pressure Area.

At 8:00 AM today, the LPA was located at 1,175 kilometres east of the region. In an interview with Panahon TV, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Gener Quitlong said that LPA may enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) today or tomorrow, December 31. On January 1, 2018, the LPA may develop into a tropical depression and will be named Agaton.

As an LPA or a tropical depression, the weather disturbance’s possible landfall will be on Eastern Visayas-Eastern Mindanao area between Monday afternoon or Tuesday early morning . Residents of areas mentioned are alerted for heavy to occasionally intense rains as the weather disturbance approaches landmass.

Today, Tail-end of a Cold Front and the Northeast Monsoon will dump rains to some areas. Bicol Region, Eastern and Central Visayas and Caraga will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms, making flash floods and landslides possible. In Cagayan Valley, Cordillera, Aurora and Quezon, cloudy skies with scattered rains will be experienced. Over Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, the rest of Central Luzon and the rest of CALABARZON, partly cloudy to cloudy skies will dominate with isolated rains. In the rest of the country, partly cloudy to cloudy skies will be experienced only with isolated rain showers.

State weather bureau has released a statement regarding posts circulating in social media about a Super Typhoon that would apparently affect the country in January 2018.

PRESS RELEASE

“There were rumours circulating in social media platform like Facebook regarding a super typhoon that might affect the country this coming January 2018. The current weather analysis shows that there is a possible formation of tropical cyclone this coming January 2018. Based on historical records, it is normal for the month of January to have 0-1 tropical cyclone. But, predicting the tropical cyclone intensity to reach super typhoon category for more than 1 week ahead has a very high uncertainty. The atmosphere is very dynamic hence constant monitoring is necessary.

The general public is advised to be more careful, verify information and listen only to right authority so as not to cause panic. Furthermore, everyone is advised to access only the official information from PAGASA thru our website https://www1.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/ or thru our official Facebook page www.facebook.com/PAGASA.DOST.GOV.PH.

ESPERANZA O. CAYANAN, Ph.D.”

With this, the public is advised to exercise caution when sharing critical information such as warnings regarding hazards.

Tropical Storm Urduja remains almost stationary as it moves off the coast of Eastern Samar.

At 10:00 AM, the storm was at 240 kilometers east of Borongan, Eastern Samar. It has maximum winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of 90 kph. Based on PAGASA’s 11:00 AM weather bulletin, scattered to widespread rains will continue over Eastern Visayas and Caraga and are expected to prevail over Bicol Region and the rest of Visayas within 24 hours. By coordinating with their respective local government and disaster risk reduction and management offices, residents of these areas should take precautionary measures against flooding and landslides.

Moving northwest at 5 kph, Urduja is expected to make landfall over Northern Samar – Eastern Samar area tomorrow. It is also forecast to cross Visayas and Southern Luzon before weakening into a Low Pressure Area (LPA) on December 20.

Ahead of the storm’s landfall, several areas in Samar Island have been submerged with floods:

Flood surbmerge parts of Barangay Tulay, Sta. Rita, Samar / December 15, 2017 / Eshane Amora Mendoza

 

Flood surbmerge parts of Barangay Tulay, Sta. Rita, Samar / December 15, 2017 / Eshane Amora Mendoza

 

Bureau of Fire Taft and 14th Infantry Battalion rescued passengers who stranded in Malinao-Binaloan area due to flood / December 14, 2017 / LGU Taft

 

Situation in flood-prone barangay of Lumatod and Burak in Taft, Eastern Samar / December 15, 2017 / LGU Taft

 

Situation in flood-prone barangay of Lumatod and Burak in Taft, Eastern Samar / December 15, 2017 / LGU Taft

 

Situation in flood-prone barangay of Lumatod and Burak in Taft, Eastern Samar / December 15, 2017 / LGU Taft

WEATHER TODAY
Nineteen areas remain under tropical cyclone warning signals, alerting residents to stay alert for possible flash floods and landslides.

Today, Samar provinces and Biliran will experience a stormy weather. The rest of Eastern Visayas, Bicol Region, Romblon, Marinduque, Northern Cebu, Capiz, Aklan, Northern Iloilo, and Dinagat Islands will experience rains with gusty winds. Likewise, the rest of Visayas and Mindanao, CALABARZON, and the provinces of Mindoro and Palawan will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorm. In the rest of Luzon including Metro Manila, cloudy skies will prevail except for scattered rains.

The Low Pressure Area (LPA) east of Mindanao has intensified into a Tropical Depression and was given the local name Urduja, the country’s 21st tropical cyclone this year.

At 10:00 AM today, Tropical Depression Urduja was at 405 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar. It has maximum winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 65 kph, moving north-northwest at 7 kph. According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Chris Perez, it may intensify into a Tropical Storm within the next 36 hours and hit the Southern Bicol Region or the northern part of Samar Provinces on Saturday.

As Urduja heads towards the landmass, Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas will experience cloudy skies with scattered to widespread rain showers and thunderstorms, which may trigger flash floods and landslides. In Mindanao, the rest of Visayas, MIMAROPA and CALABARZON, cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms may cause flash floods and landslides. Cloudy skies with scattered rains will prevail in Metro Manila, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera and the rest of Central Luzon. Meanwhile, Ilocos Region will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains.

Because of the surge of Amihan, gale warning is still in effect in seaboards of Northern Luzon and eastern seaboards of Central Luzon, Southern Luzon and Visayas where wave height may reach up to 3.4 to 4.5 meters. Fishing boats and other small seacraft are advised not to venture out into the sea, while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves in Batanes, Calayan, Babuyan, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Isabela, Aurora, Catanduanes; the northern and eastern seaboards of Camarines Provinces; the eastern coasts of Albay, Sorsogon, and Quezon including Polilio Island; northern and eastern coasts of Northern Samar; and the eastern coast of Eastern Samar.

Two weather systems will continue to bring lights rains to Northern and Central Luzon today.

According to PAGASA, the Northeast Monsoon or Amihan has intensified, bringing cloudy skies with light rains in Cordillera, Batanes, Babuyan, Cagayan and Isabela. In Eastern and Central Visayas, Bicol Region, Aurora and Quezon, cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and isolated thunderstorms will be experienced due to the Tail-End of a Cold Front. In Metro Manila, Ilocos Region and the rest of Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley, partly cloudy to cloudy skies will be experienced with light rains. In the remaining parts of the country, generally fair weather will be experienced only with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

Because of the surge of Amihan, gale warning is still in effect in the seaboards of Northern Luzon where wave height may reach up to 3.4 to 4.5 meters. Fishing boats and other small seacraft are advised not to venture out into the sea, while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves in Batanes, Babuyan Group of Islands, Cagayan, the northern and western coasts of Ilocos Norte, the northern coast of Isabela, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Aurora, and the eastern coast of Quezon including Polilio Island.

In an interview with PAGASA Weather Forecaster Mendoza, he said that the country is expected to remain storm-free in the next two to three days.

The Northeast Monsoon, the cold and dry air from Siberia, is still affecting Northern Luzon, bringing lights rains to the region.

According to PAGASA, Batanes and the Babuyan Group of Islands will continue to experience cloudy skies with light rains today. Meanwhile, Ilocos Region, Cordillera and the rest of Cagayan Valley will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains.

Easterlies, the warm and humid air from the Pacific, brings generally fair weather in the rest of the archipelago. As Easterlies affect the eastern sections of Central and Southern Luzon, of Visayas and of Mindanao, partly cloudy to cloudy skies will prevail only with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

Gale warning is still in effect. The northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon will experience rough to very rough sea conditions. Fishing boats and other small seacraft are advised not to venture out into the sea, while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves in Batanes, the Babuyan Group of Islands, Ilocos Sur, the northern coast of Cagayan, as well as the northern and western coast of Ilocos Norte.

Meanwhile, the country will remain storm-free in the next two to three days, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Meno Mendoza said in an interview with Panahon TV.

The country remains storm-free as we welcome the first weekend of December 2017.

According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Chris Perez, two tropical cyclones usually visit the country this month. Based on climatological records, weather disturbances frequently hit Visayas or Mindanao area at this time of year.

Despite the absence of a tropical cyclone today, rains will still affect some areas.

The Tail-End of a Cold Front brings rains in Extreme Northern Luzon, while Easterlies dampen the eastern section of the country. Throughout the day, Batanes and the Babuyan Group of Islands, Eastern Visayas, Bicol Region and the provinces of Cagayan, Aurora and Quezon will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms. In the rest of the country, including Metro Manila Metro Manila, a generally fair weather will prevail but isolated rain showers or thunderstorms are possible.

With the surge of Amihan, the northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon will experience rough to very rough sea conditions. Fishing boats and other small seacraft are advised not to venture out into the sea, while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves in Batanes, the Babuyan Group of Islands, Ilocos Sur, the northern coast of Cagayan, as well as the northern and western coast of Ilocos Norte.

After a short break last week, the Northeast Monsoon is back and has further intensified.

Today, the Northeast Monsoon or Amihan brings cool breezes and rains in Northern and Central Luzon. Meanwhile, the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and Easterlies dampen Mindanao, and the eastern sections Southern Luzon and Visayas, respectively.

Today, Quezon, the Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas and Mindanao will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms. In Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Cordillera, Cagayan Valley, and Central Luzon, partly cloudy to cloudy skies will be experienced with isolated light rains. In the rest of the country, partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers will prevail.

Gale warning is still raised in the northern seaboards of Northern Luzon. These include Batanes, Calayan, Babuyan, and the northern coasts of Cagayan and Ilocos Norte. Due to rough to very rough seas, fishing boats and other small seacraft are advised not to venture out while larger vessels are alerted against big waves.

Cooler Days Ahead
Temperatures continue to dip as the Northeast Monsoon, the cold and dry air from Siberia, intensifies. Yesterday, a chilling 16.6 degrees Celsius was recorded in Baguio City. In Tanay, Rizal 17 degrees Celsius was recorded, while the temperature dropped to 21 degrees Celsius in Infanta, Quezon. The surge of Amihan is expected in January and February.