No low-pressure area (LPA) or tropical cyclone is being monitored within or near the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Tuesday, Feb. 17, as generally fair weather prevails across much of the country.

“Currently rin, wala tayong mino-monitor na low-pressure area or bagyo sa loob or malapit sa ating Philippine Area of Responsibility. (Currently, we are not monitoring any low-pressure area or storm inside or near our Philippine Area of Responsibility),” PAGASA weather specialist Veronica Torres said.

She said prevailing weather systems continue to influence different parts of the country.

Torres explained that the northeast monsoon, or “amihan,” is affecting Extreme Northern Luzon, while easterlies, or warm winds from the Pacific Ocean, are influencing the rest of the country.

“Ang northeast monsoon o amihan [ay] sa extreme Northern Luzon nakakaapekto. At ang easterlies o ‘yung mainit na hangin galing Karagatang Pasipiko [ay] nakakaapekto sa nalalabing bahagi ng ating bansa. (The northeast monsoon or amihan is affecting Extreme Northern Luzon. Meanwhile, the easterlies, or warm winds coming from the Pacific Ocean, are affecting the remaining parts of the country),” she said.

She added that the latest satellite images show minimal cloud cover over most areas, resulting in generally fair weather conditions.

“Mapapansin nga rin natin sa ating latest satellite image na halos walang kaulapan or halos malinis ‘yung ating landmass kaya nakikita rin natin ‘yung fair weather condition sa malaking bahagi ng ating bansa. (Our latest satellite image shows almost no cloud cover, which is why fair weather conditions are being observed across a large part of the country),” said Torres.

Despite the generally fair conditions, the agency said Metro Manila and most parts of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao may still experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with chances of localized thunderstorms.