Clear Friday night skies in PH; monsoon rains likely to occur this weekend – Pagasa

Pagasa satellite image

MANILA, Philippines — Skies across the Philippines will generally be clear this Friday night, according to Pagasa, but rain and thunderstorms due to the southwest monsoon or habagat will likely resume and be more frequent starting this weekend.

Based on satellite images, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Friday afternoon that clear night skies will prevail amid a weak episode of the southwest monsoon affecting the western portion of Northern Luzon.

However, it also said that the public should brace for a number of thunderstorms around afternoon and evening in the coming days as it anticipates the effect of the southwest monsoon to return.

“Sa mga susunod na araw ay inaasahan natin ang posibleng pagbalik ng epekto ng ating habagat at magbibigay ‘yan ng mas mararaming thunderstorms especially in the afternoon and evening, d’yan sa may western section ng Luzon, including Metro Manila,” weather specialist Raymond Ordinario said.

“Over the weekend ay wala tayong inaasahang bagyo na maaring mabubuo o pumasok ng ating area of responsibility,” he added.

For Saturday, temperatures may stay warm despite the possibility of more isolated rains, Pagasa said that in Metro Manila and Legazpi, the weather would play between 26 and 33 degrees Celsius; in Laoag, 25 to 33 degrees Celsius; Puerto Princesa, 26 to 32 degrees Celsius; and Tuguegarao, 25 to 37 degrees Celsius.

Similar warm conditions would be felt in Visayas and Mindanao, with temperatures ranging from 26 to 33 degrees Celsius across Iloilo, Cebu, and Tacloban; 24 to 34 degrees Celsius in Zamboanga; 25 to 33 degrees Celsius in Davao; and 24 to 33 degrees Celsius in Cagayan de Oro.

Further, Pagasa said it is not raising any gale warning for even if sea conditions over Luzon’s waters continue to be moderate while the rest of the country’s seaboards have a slight to moderate condition.

KGA