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
A new weather disturbance is forecast to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) this week.
According to PAGASA, the Low Pressure Area (LPA) previously spotted outside PAR has developed into a tropical depression. As of 10 AM, it was located 1,540 kilometers east of Mindanao. It has maximum sustained winds of 45 kph and gustiness of 60 kph, slowly moving at a west-northwest direction.
According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Loriedin dela Cruz, the LPA can possibly enter PAR within 24 hours. If this happens, the tropical depression will be given the local name “Dante,” this month’s second tropical cyclone.
Today, Easterlies or warm and humid air from the Pacific Ocean prevail in the eastern sections of the country. This weather system will bring partly cloudy to cloudy skies or generally fair weather in the entire archipelago except for isolated rain showers or thunderstorms. Humid weather is still expected to prevail.
Have you been complaining about the humid weather these past days? Well, the surge of the Northeast Monsoon may give you a break.
Yesterday, PAGASA recorded an air temperature of 36.5°C in Sinait, Ilocos Sur. With the humid weather, heat indices also continue to increase. Heat index refers to temperature obtained from the high air temperature and relative humidity. It also describes how the human body perceives the heat or the warm weather.
PAGASA Weather Forecaster Chris Perez reminded the public through an interview with Panahon TV that when the computed heat index value is between 30-40°Celsius, a person may experience exhaustion and stroke.
However, Amihan has slightly intensified today and is now affecting Northern and Central Luzon. This Tuesday, cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms will prevail in the regions of Caraga and Davao. Cloudy skies with isolated light rains are also expected in the regions of Cagayan Valley and Cordillera, and the provinces of Aurora and Quezon. Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains will be experienced in the Ilocos Region and the rest of Central Luzon. Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms will prevail in Metro Manila and the rest of the country.
Strong to gale force winds associated with the surge of the Amihan are causing rough to very rough seas in the seaboards below. Fishing boats and other small seacraft are advised not to venture out while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves.
PAGASA has yet to declare the start of the Hot and Dry Season but the heat has become increasingly intense in some parts of the country.
Yesterday, PAGASA recorded a scorching 36°C in Cabanatuan.
Today, a maximum of 34°C air temperature is expected in Metro Manila. For Baguio City, it will be between 16-26°C, 26-32°C in Iloilo and a maximum of 34°C in Zamboanga City.
While temperatures are expected to spike, the Northeast Monsoon in the Northern Luzon is still bringing cloudy skies with isolated light rains in Cagayan Valley Region. Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains will be experienced in the regions of Cordillera and Ilocos. Caused by the warm and humid air from the Pacific called Easterlies, partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms will prevail in Metro Manila and the rest of the archipelago.
Despite the warm temperatures, gale warning is hoisted in the seaboards of Northern Luzon where sea travel may be risky due to rough to very rough sea conditions.
After bringing rains in the eastern portions of the country, the Low Pressure Area (LPA) inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) has already dissipated.
The LPA entered PAR last Sunday, causing rains in Northern Mindanao, Caraga, Eastern Visayas and Southern Luzon before dissipating due to land interaction. However, based on PAGASA’s 11:00 AM weather update, leftover clouds from the LPA will still bring light to moderate rains in the Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley and Aurora.
Partly cloudy to cloudy skies, only with isolated rain showers will prevail in Metro Manila and the remaining parts of Luzon, down to Visayas and Mindanao.
No gale warning was issued today but fisherfolk, seafarers and those who will travel in the seaboards of Northern Luzon are advised to take precautionary measures against moderate to rough sea conditions.
The Hot and Dry season may be around the corner but this doesn’t exempt the county from weather disturbances.
At 2:00 AM today, a Low Pressure Area (LPA) entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Gener Quitlong, the LPA was located at 800 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur at 4:00 AM. The LPA has yet to have any direct effect on the country but its extension will bring light to moderate rains in the Caraga Region today.
“Sa ngayon, within 24-48 hours hindi po natin ito inaasahan na magiging bagyo. Ibig sabihin hindi po favorable ‘yung environment. ‘Yun nga lang, lalapit po ito sa ating bansa at dadaan po sa Kabisayaan.” (We do not expect this to develop into a tropical cyclone within the next 24-48 hours due to the unfavorable environment. However, it will approach the landmass and will cross Visayas.)
Starting tomorrow, March 20, this weather system will bring cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms in the provinces of Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur and Northern Mindanao. Residents in these areas are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides.
Meanwhile, theNortheast Monsoon is still dominant in Luzon where it will bring partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains. For Visayas and the rest of Mindanao, partly cloudy to cloudy skies will prevail only with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms today.
Temperatures are beginning to rise in most parts of the country but the Northeast Monsoon, locally known as Amihan, has yet to end its dominance in Luzon.
This midweek Wednesday, Amihan has again intensified, affecting Northern and Central Luzon. As an effect, cloudy skies with light rains are expected in the Batanes Group of Islands. It will also bring partly cloudy to cloudy skies to the Ilocos Region, Cordillera, Central Luzon and rest of Cagayan Valley. In Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, down to Visayas and Mindanao, generally fair weather will prevail only with chances of isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
Despite the increasing temperatures in the country, PAGASA has yet to declare the commencement of the Hot and Dry season.
“’Yung warm and humid air ng Easterlies ang isa sa mga pangunahing characteristics para mag-declare po tayo ng tag-init. Hindi lang tayo makapag-terminate ng Amihan sa kadahilanang bumabalik ito.” (The warm and humid characteristics of Easterlies are one the factors before declaring the Hot and Dry Season. We can’t still announce it because Amihan has yet to be terminated.)
It can be recalled that PAGASA announced the termination of Amihan on March 18 last year, signaling the start of the Hot and Dry Season or tag-init.
Far from the rainy days last weekend, fair weather is expected to prevail in most parts of the county today.
This is caused by Easterlies, warm and humid air from the Pacific Ocean, bringing slightly humid temperatures in the Philippines. Meanwhile, the Northeast Monsoon has slightly weakened, affecting the extreme Northern Luzon.
Today, the Batanes Group of Islands will experience cloudy skies with light rains induced by Amihan. Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon, down to Visayas and Mindanao, will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
“Makakaranas pa rin tayo ng mainit at maalinsangan panahon sa nakararaming bahagi ng bansa maging sa Metro Manila. Wala naman tayong inaasahang bagyo sa susunod na dalawa hanggang tatlong araw.” (We will still experience warm and humid weather in most parts of the country including Metro Manila. We’re not expecting a tropical cyclone within the next 2-3 days.)
Rains caused by the Low Pressure Area (LPA) are likely to continue in several areas in the southern parts of the country today.
At 11:00 AM today, the LPA was spotted at 135 kilometers southeast of General Santos City. Compared to previous days, the effects of this weather disturbance have already weakened. However, it will still bring cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms in Visayas and Mindanao.
In an interview with PanahonTV, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Sheila Reyes said that the LPA has slim chance of developing into a tropical cyclone or “bagyo.”
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Meanwhile, the Northeast Monsoon still persists in Northern Luzon. It brings partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains in the regions of Cagayan Valley, Cordillera and Ilocos. Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms also prevail in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon.