The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Wednesday, Dec. 18 said Tropical Depression Querubin, the shear line, and the northeast monsoon (amihan) may bring moderate to heavy rainfall over parts of the country in the next 24 hours.
In its 5 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Querubin maintained its maximum winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gusts reaching 55 kph while moving north-northeastward at 10 kph.
Its center was located 230 kilometers east of Davao City or 205 kilometers east of Tagum City, Davao del Norte around 4 a.m.
Heavy rains, strong winds
Wind Signal No. 1 was hoisted over Davao Oriental as flash floods or landslides due to moderate to heavy, at times intense, rains and minimal to minor threats to lives and properties from strong winds may occur.
Cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms may also affect Eastern Visayas, Caraga, and the rest of Davao Region.
Meanwhile, the trough or extension of Querubin may affect the rest of Visayas and Mindanao.
PAGASA said Querubin may move generally north-northeastward or northward over the waters east of Mindanao within the next 24 hours. During the same period, the weather disturbance will weaken into a remnant low-pressure area (LPA).
From Thursday to Sunday, Dec. 19 to 22, the remnant of Querubin will traverse Mindanao, the Sulu Sea, and Palawan.
PAGASA said that due to the weak nature of its circulation, the track forecast of Querubin may still shift within the limit of the forecast confidence cone.
Although a weakening scenario is expected, the remnant low of Querubin may re-develop into a tropical depression once it reaches the West Philippine Sea.
Shear line, ‘amihan’ rains
Over the next 24 hours, PAGASA said the shear line, formed by the collision of cold winds from the amihan and warm winds from the easterlies, may also bring cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms over Bicol Region and Quezon province.
The amihan may also cause cloudy skies with moderate to heavy rainfall over Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, and Aurora.
Meanwhile, the rest of Luzon may experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains due to the amihan.