PAGASA: Rains to prevail over parts of the Philippines
Four weather systems—the shear line, northeast monsoon, Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), and easterlies—will continue to trigger rains across parts of the country over the next 24 hours, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Wednesday, Feb. 19.
PAGASA said the shear line—a weather system that forms when cold winds from the northeast monsoon (amihan) collide with warm breezes from the Pacific Ocean (easterlies)—is expected to bring scattered rains and isolated thunderstorms to mainland Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, and Aurora.
Cloudy skies with rain may also prevail over the Cordillera Administrative Region and the rest of Cagayan Valley due to the amihan.
Similar conditions may persist in Zamboanga Peninsula, Palawan, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi due to the ITCZ, which is the convergence of winds from the northern and southern hemispheres, forming rain-bearing clouds.
Likewise, the easterlies will bring cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms to Eastern Visayas, Caraga, Sorsogon, and Davao Oriental.
PAGASA warned that areas affected by the four weather systems may experience flash floods and landslides, especially during moderate to heavy rainfall.
Meanwhile, the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to the amihan or easterlies.
PAGASA also advised the public to stay vigilant as severe thunderstorms—often associated with bursts of heavy rainfall, lightning, thunder, and gusty winds that usually last up to two hours—may trigger flash floods or landslides in other areas.