ITCZ, ‘Habagat’ to Bring Rain this Weekend

(PNA) – Government expects the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and southwest monsoon or ‘habagat’ to bring rain to the country this weekend.

According to forecaster Robert Badrina from State weather agency Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the Visayas and Mindanao will likely experience rain due to the prevailing ITCZ.

“There’s a big chance for such rain there,” he said.

The southwest monsoon will likely bring rain to Luzon this weekend, he continued.

“We expect thunderstorms mostly during afternoons,” he also said.

According to PAGASA, ITCZ is a “series of low-pressure areas (LPAs) brought about by converging northeast and southeast winds that cause thunderstorms and rain showers.”

‘Habagat’ consists of “warm moist winds from the southwest causing rains over the western portion of the country from May to September,” PAGASA also said.

In its 5 a.m. 24-hour public weather forecast released Thursday (June 25), PAGASA reported presence of an ITCZ across the Visayas.

PAGASA also cited possible occurrence of cloudy skies with “light to moderate” rain and thunderstorm in Luzon’s Region IV-B, the Visayas and Mindanao during the 24-hour period ending 5 a.m. Friday (June 26).

For Friday, PAGASA forecast cloudy skies with rain showers and/or thunderstorms in the Visayas’ Iloilo City, Bacolod City, Metro Cebu and Tacloban City as well as Mindanao’s Cagayan de Oro City, Metro Davao and Zamboanga City.

PAGASA maintained such forecast for Saturday (June 27) and Sunday (June 28) in Metro Cebu, Cagayan de Oro City and Metro Davao.

Conditions in Iloilo City and Bacolod City on Saturday will likely be partly cloudy to at times cloudy with rain showers and/or thunderstorms as well as cloudy with rain showers and thunderstorms on Sunday, PAGASA noted.

Weekend weather in Tacloban City and Zamboanga City is expected to be partly cloudy to at times cloudy with rain showers and/or thunderstorms, PAGASA further reported.

PAGASA likewise forecast partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with rain showers and/or thunderstorms from Friday to Sunday in Luzon’s Metro Manila as well as Tuguegarao, Laoag, Baguio, Olongapo, Angeles, Tagaytay, Lipa and Legazpi cities.

The agency forecast the same conditions in Puerto Princesa City this weekend but expects there cloudy skies with rain showers and/or thunderstorms on Friday.

According to Badrina, a cloud cluster lies east of Mindanao at present.

There’s almost no chance for such cloud cluster to develop into an LPA, however, he said.

“Such cluster is already too near land – it lacks the moisture and energy needed to develop into an LPA,” he noted.

Badrina said PAGASA monitored an LPA over Pacific waters.

He noted such LPA is still outside the Philippine Area ofResponsibility (PAR), however.

The LPA might enter PAR this week but will likely recurvenorthwards instead of crossing the country, he added. (PNA) CTB/CJT/EDS