Fair Weather Seen in Next Few Days Except for Isolated Thunderstorms

The whole country will have good weather apart from isolated rains and thunderstorms in the afternoon or evening, according to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Monday.

PAGASA weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said no tropical cyclone is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) until Wednesday.

He added that a ridge of high-pressure area (HPA), which could bring clear skies and warm temperature, will affect extreme northern Luzon until Wednesday.

“The whole country will generally have good weather condition, aside from isolated rains,” Aurelio said.

He noted no weather disturbance has been monitored near the country’s area of responsibility until Wednesday.

During the three-day forecast outlook, Aurelio said the whole country is expected to have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers due to localized thunderstorms.

Meanwhile, Aurelio said PAGASA is now expecting only one to two tropical cyclones this month. The agency earlier said it expects two to three tropical cyclones to visit the country this October.

However, Aurelio said the agency’s Climatology and Agrometeorology Division recently updated its bulletin on the number of tropical cyclones that will likely affect the country until the end of the year.

PAGASA earlier noted that tropical cyclones affecting the country in the coming months will likely be fewer but more intense due to El Niño phenomenon that is associated with drier weather.

The strong El Niño event prevailing in the country is expected to strengthen further by the end of the year and may last until the second quarter of 2016.

According to the latest climate outlook of PAGASA, the El Niño event, a number of climate models show that the ongoing El Niño event is comparable or may even surpass the sea surface temperature anomaly observed during the 1997-98 El Niño.

It is also predicted that the current El Niño and associated sea surface temperature warming may further strengthen and is likely to persist until the second quarter of 2016. Adverse impacts include below normal rainfall that could lead to dry spell and drought conditions in most parts of the country until the first quarter of 2016. Warmer than normal air temperatures are also likely to be felt.

PAGASA advised all concerned agencies and institutions to take precautionary measures to mitigate the potential impacts of the current El Niño.

PAGASA will closely monitor these conditions and regular updates and advisories shall be issued as appropriate.

El Nino is a naturally occurring condition characterized by warmer-than-average waters in eastern equatorial Pacific.

Earlier, Secretary Mario G. Montejo of the Department of Science and Technology assured the public that that the government is preparing for this condition.

Food security and health are priority concerns in the government’s preparation for the 2015 El Niño, he noted. (PNA) JBP/CLTC