Cloudy skies, rains to remain even as ‘Butchoy’ leaves Luzon — Pagasa

MANILA, Philippines – Several areas in Luzon and Visayas may continue to experience cloudy skies and rains in the coming hours, even after Tropical Depression “Butchoy” moved out of the country’s landmass on Friday.

TD “Butchoy” based on the satellite image of Pagasa

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services (Pagasa) said in its latest forecast that “Butchoy” was last seen 285 kilometers west of Dagupan City, Pangasinan.

It slightly intensified, now packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 70 kph. “Butchoy” is moving in a west northwest pattern at a speed of 25 kph.

The weather disturbance is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility by Friday night, and is seen to have a minimal impact on the country’s weather systems in the next few days.

All storm warning signals have been dropped with Butchoy’s movement away from the country.

However, the southwest monsoon or Habagat — a sign of the rainy season — would still bring light to moderate rains in a wide area, especially in the western portion of Luzon and Palawan.

Light rains may also be felt in other parts of Visayas, still due to the monsoon.  But in Mindanao, the weather may start to be better, especially in the southern areas.

Earlier, Pagasa confirmed the country’s shift into a rainy season after the Habagat brought a significant amount of rains in a huge part of the country, satisfying criteria for the rainy season.

Temperature forecasts have also started to drop in various areas, including Metro Manila which may see temperatures between 25 to 32 degrees Celsius and 25 to 33 degrees even for Tuguegarao, a known area for hot weather.

Even if the tropical depression has already left the country’s landmass, Pagasa advised residents in low-lying areas and those near slopes to monitor updates as flooding and landslides may still occur.

Seafarers and fisherfolk with small boats are still not allowed to set sail in the northern and eastern coasts of Luzon, as a gale warning was placed along the shorelines of Batanes, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, and Zambales.

Waves may reach as high as 4.5 meters, Pagasa noted.

EDV