Weekend weather: 'Amihan', easterlies to bring rains in PH


The low pressure area (LPA) monitored near Bulacan already dissipated, but the northeast monsoon and easterlies will continue to bring rains across the country, the state weather bureau said.

(PAGASA / MANILA BULLETIN)

Based on its latest weather update, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the two weather systems will continue to affect most parts of the country this weekend.

According to PAGASA, the easterlies or the warm winds from the Pacific Ocean will bring cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms over Bicol Region, Eastern and Central Visayas, CARAGA, Northern Mindanao, and Davao Region.

While cloudy skies with rains will prevail in Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon due to the northeast monsoon or "amihan".

PAGASA warned residents in areas affected by the LPA and easterlies on possible flash floods or landslides during moderate to at times heavy rains.

For the rest of the country, PAGASA said partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms are expected also because of the easterlies which could bring flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms.

Despite rains due to the weather systems, PAGASA Weather Specialist Raymond Ordinario said that no tropical cyclones are likely to develop in the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) until the end of the month.

Northeast monsoon surge

However, Ordinario cautioned residents in Cagayan, Isabela, and Aurora that they will continue to experience light rains due to the prevailing northeast monsoon.

Filipinos were also told to brace for cooler weather, especially in the early morning, as a northeast monsoon surge is expected by next week, Ordinario added.

Amihan is the weather system usually associated with cool weather during the holiday season.

In an online briefing on Friday, Ana Liza Solis, chief of PAGASA's Climate Monitoring and Prediction Section, said that the surge or northeast monsoon will be felt starting December up to February.

"We can get as low as 8°C in January at the mountainous areas of Luzon such as the Cordillera Administrative Region. While we can get as high as 39°C come April or May at the northern and lowland Luzon," Solis bared.

Gale warning raised

Meanwhile, due to the surge of amihan, strong to gale force winds are expected on the seaboards of Luzon.

With this, PAGASA raised a gale warning on the coasts of Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Isabela, Aurora, Northern Quezon (General Nakar) including Polillo Islands (Panukulan, Northern Burdeos, the northern and eastern coasts of Patnanungan and Jomalig), Camarines Norte, the northern coast of Camarines Sur and the northern and eastern coasts of Catanduanes.

Sea travel remains risky, especially for small sea crafts, over these seaboards where a gale warning was raised due to rough to very rough sea conditions and wave height of up to 4.5 meters.

PAGASA earlier said more rains are expected in the coming months due to the onset of La Niña.