With its northward movement, Typhoon Paeng is forecast to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Saturday without any landfall activity.
Enhanced by the Typhoon, the Southwest Monsoon will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers in Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao and Caraga. Elsewhere, partly cloudy to cloudy skies prevail and localized thunderstorms are possible. PAGASA raised a gale warning off the northern seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Luzon and Visayas. Fisherfolk and those with small seacraft are advised not to venture out, while larger vessels are advised to take precautionary measures against rough to very rough sea conditions.
Meanwhile, a new weather disturbance may threaten the country next week. According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Ariel Rojas, a Low Pressure Area (LPA) was spotted at 3,100 kilometers east-southeast of Mindanao, outside PAR. It is forecast to intensify into a tropical cyclone and enter PAR next week.
PAGASA continues to monitor two weather disturbances.
At 3:00 a.m., the LPA inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) was spotted at 410 kilometers east-northeast of Hinatuan, Surigado del Sur. However, it has a slim chance of developing into a Tropical Cyclone. Meanwhile, another LPA is being monitored outside PAR. In an interview with PAGASA Chris Perez, he said that the other weather disturbance was located east of Mindanao. It may enter PAR this weekend and bring rains in Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao next week. It may also develop into a Tropical Cyclone.
With the presence of Amihan, Cagayan Valley Region and Cordillera Administrative Region will have cloudy skies with scattered rains. Today, the rest of Luzon, including Metro Manila, can enjoy partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains. Residents of Visayas and Mindanao can also look forward to partly cloudy to cloudy skies with possibilities of isolated rain showers or localized thunderstorms.
Gale warning is still in effect in the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon. These include coasts of Batanes, Babuyan Group of Islands, Ilocos Norte, Cagayan and Isabela. Fishing boats and other small seacraft are prohibited from venturing, while larger sea vessels are alerted against rough to very rough seas.
A weather disturbance is still being monitored by PAGASA within the Philippine premises. The Low Pressure Area (LPA) was last spotted at 500 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora. Despite its slim chance of developing into a Tropical Cyclone, its cloudiness extends over the archipelago.
The entire Visayas and Mindanao, as well Bicol Region and MIMAROPA (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) will experience cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms. Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with chances of isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
On the other hand, the Southwest Monsoon or Hanging Habagat is no longer dominant within the PAR, but this doesn’t mean that the Habagat season has ended. According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Robert “Obet” Badrina, we are not in the transition period yet. Badrina noted that the Habagat can still return. The transition of wind patterns usually occurs in October. However, the public is still advised to monitor further development including the arrival of the Amihan season.
Autumnal Equinox
PAGASA’s Astronomical Diary shows that the Autumnal Equinox will occur on September 23, 2017 at around 4:03 AM. Derived from the latin word aequus, which means equal, and nox meaning night, the equinox refers to the time of the year where day and night are of approximately equal duration.
Badrina said this astronomical event will not have a significant effect on our weather aside from causing longer nights in the Philippines. Since longer nights equate to shorter exposure to sunlight, colder weather may gradually begin especially when Amihan becomes dominant.
LPA develops into Tropical Depression Fabian
(8:00 AM UPDATE) The Low Pressure Area (LPA) in the Extreme Northern Luzon has developed into a tropical cyclone. At 7:00 A.M. today, the center of Tropical Depression Fabian was estimated at 45 kilometers (km) west-southwest of Basco, Batanes. It has maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 65 kph, forecast to move west-northwest at 16 kph.
“Fabian,” will bring moderate to heavy rains within its 300-kilometer diameter. It is expected to cross Batanes and the Babuyan Group of Islands today. Areas under Signal Number 1 may bring medium damage to low-risk structures and slight damage to houses made of very light materials. Rice crops may suffer significant damage during their flowering stage.
Due to the tropical depression, rains with gusty winds are expected in the provinces of Batanes, Cagayan, Babuyan Group of Islands, Apayao and Ilocos Norte. As an effect of the Habagat or the Southwest Monsoon, cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms will be experienced in the rest of Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, MIMAROPA, CALABARZON and Visayas. The Intertropical Convergence Zone, an area of wind convergence and series of LPAs, will also bring light to moderate rains in Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga and Davao Region. Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with rain showers or thunderstorms will prevail in the remaining parts of the country.
Meanwhile, another LPA was also spotted at 720 km east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur and may develop into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours.
Warm Wednesday and Monsoon Break
In the midst of the Rainy Season, generally fair and warm weather is expected with the presence of the Ridge of a High Pressure Area (HPA) today.
“Ridge” refers to the extended part of an HPA or an anticyclone. Unlike a Low Pressure Area, this indicates an area where the atmospheric pressure is higher than its surroundings. Formation of clouds is usually suppressed, thus, less chance of rains. As it extends across Luzon, partly cloudy to cloudy skies will prevail in Metro Manila and the rest of the country only with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
In an interview with PanahonTV, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Robert Badrina said that the country is on a monsoon break.
Badrina also said that the country will experience a storm-free week.
ITCZ soaks parts of Mindanao
The Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) continues to affect Southern Mindanao.
ITCZ is characterized as an area where winds coming from the Northern and Southern Hemispheres meet; this interaction results to rains in the affected areas.
As this weather system prevails, cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms will be experienced in Mindanao today. Rains have been affecting the region since last week, prompting the cancellation of classes and declaration of State of Calamity in Kabuntalan and other areas in Maguindanao due to widespread flooding.
Light to moderate rains will also affect the regions of Central Visayas and Negros Island. In the rest of the country including Metro Manila, partly cloudy to cloudy skies will prevail only with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
Moderate rains continue in Palawan
The Southwest Monsoon, locally known as Habagat continues to affect the eastern section of Luzon.
As this weather system prevails, Palawan will continue to experience light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms. In the rest of the country including Metro Manila, partly cloudy to cloudy skies will prevail only with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
With rains concentrated in Palawan, humid weather is still expected to prevail in most parts of the country.
Get to Know Habagat
Every year, when the rainy season begins, Habagat begins to affect the country. Due to its warm and moist characteristics, Habagat causes monsoon rains that could last for a couple of days or even a week. Here are things you must know about this weather system:
Light to moderate rains in Palawan
On the first Saturday of June, the Southwest Monsoon, which is warm and moist air locally known as Habagat is still affecting the western section of Luzon.
As this weather system prevails, cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms will be experienced in the province of Palawan. In Metro Manila and the rest of the country, partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms will prevail.
While the Habagat dumps rains on some parts of Luzon, residents are alerted against heavy rains, which may trigger flash floods and landslides. It can be recalled that five persons perished in a landslide that occurred in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan last Monday night. According to reports, the victims were composed of a family of four and an infant.
Photos courtesy of Brigada News FM Palawan.
However, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Meno Mendoza clarified that there is no weather disturbance affecting the country.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MIE_MuLGYuQ
This weekend, remember to bring your umbrellas as you make your “huling hirit sa tag-init,” because the prevailing Southwest Monsoon or Habagat brings possibilities of rains. According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Loriedin dela Cruz, the habagat is in effect in the western section of Luzon and Visayas.
With its warm and moist characteristics, the habagat will bring cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms to the regions of Ilocos, Cordillera, MIMAROPA, CALABARZON, Bicol, Western Visayas and the provinces of Batanes, Cagayan, Zambales and Bataan. In the remaining parts of the country including Metro Manila, partly cloudy to cloudy skies prevails only with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
Photo courtesy of Nelson M. Velasco, Daraga, Albay
Dela Cruz adds that no weather disturbance is expected to affect the country in the next two days.