PAGASA: PHL Storm Free Until Weekend

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Thursday the country will remain storm-free in the next three days.

In an interview, PAGASA weather forecaster Alvin Pura said the agency has not seen any weather disturbance near the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) that may develop into a tropical cyclone within the next three days or until weekend.

He said the agency is not expecting any tropical cyclone to affect the country this month.

However, Pura said the two weather system affecting the country within the next three days are the tail-end of a cold front affecting Eastern Visayas and the Northeast Monsoon affecting Northern and Central Luzon.

The tail-end of a cold front is the front boundary of two air masses, which produces clouds and rain.

Pura said due to tail end of cold front Eastern Visayas and Bicol Region will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshower and isolated thunderstorms.

He also said most parts of Luzon will experience cold weather due to the presence of the northeast monsoon or “hanging amihan” that will prevail until mid-March.

The northeast monsoon or seasonal winds from the northeast is the cold air from mainland China that starts to blow into the country every late October.

Pura said the minimum temperature in Metro Manila was recorded at 19.7 degrees Celsius at 6 a.m.

Metro Manila’s temperature readings are being recorded daily in the vicinity of the PAGASA Science Garden in Diliman, Quezon City between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m.

In its Thursday forecast, PAGASA said Cagayan Valley and the provinces of Aurora and Quezon will have cloudy skies with light rains while Metro Manila and the rest of the Northern and Central Luzon will be partly cloudy to at times cloudy with isolated light rains.

The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

PAGASA also said moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to rough.

Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the northeast with slight to moderate seas.

Pura said with the weakening of the northeast monsoon, the state-run weather bureau also issued a final gale warning as sea condition will be moderate to rough and will affect the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon.

”Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves,” it warned. (PNA) FPV/CLTC