The Tropical Storm with international name Lan entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) last night and was given the local name, Paolo, the country’ 16th Tropical Cyclone this 2017.
At 11:00 AM today, the cyclone has intensified into a severe tropical storm and was at 765 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar. It has maximum sustained winds of 90 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 115 kph. The storm is forecast to move west-northwest at 7 kph.
In an interview, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Gener Quitlong said that Paolo may recurve and miss the landmass due to a current interaction with a Low Pressure Area (LPA) located west of Palawan. But Paolo may also intensify into a typhoon before exiting PAR by Sunday and head towards Japan.
No tropical cyclone warning signal was issued but the outer rainbands of Paolo may bring scattered light to moderate with possible occasional heavy rains over Bicol Region, Visayas and Mindanao. Meanwhile, the LPA will bring scattered light to moderate with possible occasional heavy rains over Palawan. In the rest of Luzon, including Metro Manila, partly cloudy to cloudy skies will prevail, apart from isolated rain showers mostly in the afternoon or evening.
Tropical Storm Odette has exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) but a new weather disturbance threatens the country.
In an interview with PAGASA Weather Forecaster Gener Quitlong, he said that the tropical depression was spotted at 1,055 kilometers east of Mindanao. It has maximum winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph), gustiness of 65 kph, moving west-northwest at 15 kph. According to Quitlong, the tropical depression may intensify into a tropical storm and enter PAR this Monday.
In the next hours, Mindanao, Western Visayas, and Palawan will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms. In the rest of the country including Metro Manila, partly cloudy to cloudy skies will prevail apart from isolated rain showers mostly in the afternoon or evening. This weather condition is caused by Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) that affects Southern Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Gale warning is up in the northern seaboard he western seaboard of Southern Luzon, and the northern and western seaboard of Northern Luzon, where rough to very rough sea condition is expected. Sea travel is risky for fishing boats and other small seacraft as wave height may reach up to 3.4 to 4.5 meters.
Two weather systems will dump rains this weekend.
These include a Low Pressure Area (LPA) inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and the Southwest Monsoon affecting the western sections of Southern Luzon and Visayas.
At 3:00 AM today, the LPA was spotted at 40 kilometers north-northeast of Alabat, Quezon. PAGASA Weather Forecaster Samuel Duran said, the possibility that the LPA would develop into a tropical cyclone remains slim but it will still dampen Luzon as it approaches the landmass.
Today, areas in Luzon and Western Visayas will have cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to the LPA. These rains may trigger flash floods and landslides. Meanwhile, the remaining parts of Visayas and Mindanao will experience a generally fair weather except for chances of localized thunderstorms.
After a two-week hiatus, the Southwest Monsoon prevails in the country again.
Locally known as Habagat, the Southwest Monsoon is defined as warm and moist winds moving in a southwest direction. Due to these characteristics, Habagat can cause monsoon rains that can last for a couple of days or even a week.
Cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms will prevail in Visayas, Mindanao, the Ilocos Region, the Cordillera Administrative Region, MIMAROPA, Batanes and the Babuyan Group of Islands. Meanwhile, the rest of Luzon including Metro Manila will experience generally fair weather with localized thunderstorms.
Special Weather Forecast
Classes in public schools and work in government offices for tomorrow September 21, 2017 have been suspended. According to Malacañang, the declaration is in line with the 45th anniversary of the declaration of Martial Law and will not be a special non-working holiday but a “Day of Protest.”
Pro and anti-government activities are expected to be staged tomorrow, while some may use the suspension to unwind from work and school. According to PAGASA, no weather disturbance is expected to affect the country during the observance.
ITCZ dampens Southern Mindanao
Lightning, occasionally heavy rains, strong winds and flash floods are possible in Southern Mindanao as the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affects the region today.
The ITCZ is an area where winds coming from the Northern and Southern Hemispheres meet; this interaction results in rains in the affected areas. ITCZ is also composed of a series of Low Pressure Areas (LPA) which can develop into weather disturbances.
As this weather system prevails, the Zamboanga Peninsula, SOCSKSARGEN, ARMM and Davao Region will experience cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms. The rest of Mindanao, all the way up to Visayas and Luzon will have generally fair weather except for chances of localized thunderstorms.
In an interview with PAGASA Weather Forecaster Chris Perez, he mentioned that no weather disturbance affects the country today but a cloud cluster is being monitored outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
“Kiko” brings Signal #1
Tropical Depression “Kiko” maintains its strength and is now traversing the Balintang Channel.
At 4:00 AM today, the center of the weather disturbance was estimated at 95 kilometers west of Basco, Batanes. It has maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 65 kph, moving northwest at 20 kph. According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Meno Mendoza, the Tropical Depression is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) tonight. Still, Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal number 1 (TCWS) is hoisted in Batanes and the Babuyan Group of Islands.
Areas under TCWS will experience rains with gusty winds, making flash floods and landslides possible. Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur will have with light to moderate rains with thunderstorms, while the rest of the country including Metro Manila will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers.
LPA may develop into a Tropical Depression
A Low Pressure Area (LPA) still persists within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
At 3:00 AM today, the LPA was at 95 kilometers north-northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Robert Badrina, the LPA may continue to intensify and develop into a Tropical Depression within the next 24 hours. If this happens, the country’s 11th Tropical Cyclone this year will be named “Kiko.”
As the LPA prevails, Ilocos Region, Batanes and the Babuyan group of Islands will have moderate to occasionally heavy rains, which may trigger flashfloods and landslides. Metro Manila, Cordillera, Central Luzon, the rest of Cagayan Valley, Mindoro, Cavite, and Batangas will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms. The rest of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies except for isolated light to occasionally heavy rains due to thunderstorms.
Question of the Day
As the “ber” months set in, Panahon TV Facebook follower Ryan Edward Sol asked: “Should we expect the Northeast Monsoon or Amihan to prevail next month?”
According to Badrina, the Southwest Monsoon or Habagat is still expected to prevail until October. Badrina noted that the Amihan begins in November and will be felt in Metro Manila starting December until February.
ITCZ dampens National Heroes Day celebration
Filipinos continue to enjoy the three-day weekend as the country celebrates its annual National Heroes Day or Pambansang Araw ng mga Bayani.
But amidst the celebration, residents of some areas are warned about possible effects of the prevailing weather system, the Intertropical Convergence Zone. The ITCZ is an area where winds coming from the Northern and Southern Hemispheres meet; this interaction results in rains in the affected areas. ITCZ is also composed of a series of Low Pressure Areas (LPA) which can develop into weather disturbances.
Today, the Bicol Region, Visayas, Caraga, Northern Mindanao and Zamboanga Peninsula will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and possible thunderstorms. In the rest of the country including Metro Manila, fair weather will prevail except for isolated rain showers and thunderstorms.
New weather disturbance spotted outside PAR
Meanwhile, the tropical depression outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) is still being monitored. At 3:00 AM today, it was located at 2,590 kilometers east of Extreme Northern Luzon. It has maximum sustained winds of 40 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 50 kph. If this weather disturbance continues to move in a north-northwest direction, it may no longer enter PAR.
Jolina exits PAR; weather improves
Tropical Storm Jolina has left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
From a Low Pressure Area (LPA), the weather disturbance intensified into a Tropical
Depression Thursday afternoon and made landfall in Casiguran, Aurora Friday evening. At 5:00 AM today, the storm with international name “Pakhar” was located at 595 kilometers northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte and continues to move westward to China.
With the absence of Jolina, weather condition is expected to improve except in areas where the Southwest Monsoon prevails. Today, the Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, and Pampanga will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and possible thunderstorms. The rest of Luzon, including Metro Manila, will have generally fair weather except for isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
Another Weather Disturbance
In an interview with Panahon TV, PAGASA Weather Forecaster Chris Perez said that a potential weather disturbance is being monitored in the eastern section of the West Philippine Sea. If the cloud clusters would develop into a tropical cyclone, it will not enter PAR but may boost the Southwest Monsoon.
Based on climatological records, an average of two to four tropical cyclones can develop or enter PAR in August.