MANILA, Philippines — Overcast skies will prevail over most parts of the country on Thursday due to the combined influence of the southwest monsoon or habagat, low-pressure area (LPA), and a northeasterly surface wind flow in the local weather system.
State meteorologists said in the latest weather bulletin released Wednesday afternoon that the LPA has moved closer to the country’s landmass, as it was last spotted 90 kilometers east of Daet, Camarines Norte.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), while the LPA may cross the Southern Luzon and Visayas area by midnight, there is only a small chance of it becoming a tropical depression.
The southwest monsoon or habagat continues to have an effect on the country’s western portion, while the northeasterly surface wind flow — said to be a precursor of the northeast monsoon or amihan — would bring clouds over the northern parts of Luzon, the state weather bureau added.
Meanwhile, Typhoon Chan-Hom is no longer seen to enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), as it continues to move in a northwestern manner at a speed of 25 kilometers per hour.
Due to the cloudy weather, Pagasa said the temperature in Metro Manila and Palawan may drop to 24 to 30 degrees Celsius, while Tagaytay and Legazpi’s daytime temperature may peak at only 31 degrees Celsius.
The same condition may be expected in Visayas and Mindanao, with a maximum temperature of 31 degrees Celsius over Tacloban and Cebu, and 32 degrees Celsius in Iloilo, Zamboanga, and Davao.
Pagasa has kept the gale warning it raised over the waters of Batanes, northern Cagayan, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur, which means that fisherfolk and seafarers using small boats are not allowed to set sail as waves may reach as high as four meters.
Luzon’s eastern and western coastlines, on the other hand, will have a moderate to rough condition, as Palawan and Visayas seas will be moderate and Mindanao waters will have light to moderate conditions.