Good Weather on Wednesday as Tropical Storm Expected to Enter by Thursday -PAGASA

(PNA) — The country will continue to experience good weather on Wednesday as the tropical storm outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) gained strength and expected to enter the country on Thursday, according to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

In an interview, PAGASA weather forecaster Jun Galang said that as of 4 a.m. the Tropical Storm with international name “Noul” was estimated based on available data at 1,395 Km east of Surigao Del Norte (9.3°N, 138.2°E).

He said the maximum sustained winds of tropical storm Noul has increased to 100 kph near the center from 85 kph while its gustiness also increased to 130 kph from 100 kph.

He added the tropical storm is forecast to slowly move westward at 6 kph due to the presence of ridge of high pressure area.

Galang said with its speed and movement, the tropical storm is expected to enter the PAR by Thursday and also expected to make landfall in Bicol Region on Saturday or Sunday.

He added the other scenario is it will not make landfall in any part of the country and will headtowards Japan.

Once it enter the PAR it will be locally named “Dodong” the fourth tropical cyclone to affect the country this year.

PAGASA expects at least one to two cyclones to affect the country this May.

For Wednesday forecast, Galang said the public will continue to experience warm and humid weather due to Ridge of High Pressure Area (HPA) extending over Luzon.

HPA is the opposite of the low-pressure area – a weather system consisting of warm air circulating over the Pacific Ocean.

He said with the presence of ridge pf HPA, the whole country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Despite a warmer weather, he said the occurrence of isolated rains will still prevail due to localized thunderstorms expect mostly in the afternoon or evening.

PAGASA explained that the convective activity brought about by intense heat triggers the formation of more cumulonimbus clouds or dark clouds associated with thunderstorms that brings rains.

He said with the presence of ridge of HPA will bring high temperatures and good weather conditions to the country in the coming days as he advised people to wear lightweight and light-colored clothing, and drink plenty of water.

He said residents of places directly hit by the heat of the sun, without trees, and surrounded by concrete roads would feel much hotter.

On Tuesday, Metro Manila maximum temperatures has 35.5 degrees Celsisus recorded around 3:45 p.m. and the reading was taken at the agency’s Science Garden in Diliman, Quezon City.

For Wednesday temperature in Metro Manila will be range 24-35 degrees Celsius while the heat index will be 28-39 degrees Celsius.

The heat index are human discomfort index that gives the “apparent” temperature or what human perceive or feel as the temperature affecting their body. High air temperatures and high relative humidity will give high apparent temperatures or indices. Full exposure to sunshine can increase the heat index by 9°C.

In its advisory, PAGASA said light to moderate winds blowing from the east to southeast will prevail over Luzon and coming from the east to northeast over the rest of the country. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate. (PNA)