Wet, cloudy New Year’s Eve in many parts of PH

MANILA, Philippines — Overcast skies and rain showers are expected in parts of the country on Tuesday due to four weather systems, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

In a 4:00 a.m. weather bulletin, Pagasa said the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) will bring cloudy skies and scattered rains and thunderstorms to parts of Mindanao, Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Negros Island Region, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, and Palawan.

“Ang intertropical convergence zone ay magdadala pa rin ng maulap na kalangitan at nalang ng malaking tsansa ng mga pag-ulan sa malaking bahagi ng Visayas, Mindanao, kasama ang Palawan at ilang bahagi ng Bicol region,” Pagasa weather specialist Obet Badrina explained in a morning weathercast.

(The intertropical convergence zone will continue to bring cloudy skies and an increased likelihood of rainfall over most parts of Visayas, Mindanao, including Palawan and some areas of the Bicol region.)

Meanwhile, Pagasa said the shear line, or the convergence of warm winds and cold northeast monsoon, will cause cloudy skies with scattered rains and isolated thunderstorms in Batanes, Cagayan, and Apayao in Northern Luzon.

“Ang shear line naman o banggaan ng mainit at malamig na hangin ay magdadala pa rin ng mga pag-ulan at maulap na kalangitan, particular na sa ilang bahagi sa may Northern Luzon,” Badrina explained.

(The shear line, or the convergence of warm and cold air, will also bring rainfall and cloudy skies, particularly in some areas of Northern Luzon.)

The Ilocos region, the rest of Cagayan Valley, and the rest of the Cordillera Administrative Region will also see partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains on Monday due to the northeast monsoon or “amihan”, according to Pagasa.

It added that easterlies would affect Metro Manila and the rest of the country, bringing partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms in these areas.

The state weather bureau raised no gale warning over any of the country’s seaboards on Tuesday.

Pagasa, however, still reminded the public of moderate to rough sea conditions over the eastern section of Luzon due to the northeast monsoon.

“Bagamat nagpapalala pa rin ang Pagasa, lalong-lalo na sa may silangang bahagi ng Luzon, medyo malakas pa rin ‘yung amihan, posibleng katamtaman hanggang sa kung minsan ay maalong karagatan ang mararanasan sa mga hilagang baybayin ng ating bansa,” Badrina said.

(Although Pagasa continues to issue advisories, especially for the eastern part of Luzon, the northeast monsoon remains relatively strong. Moderate to occasionally rough seas are expected along the northern coasts of the country.)

“So ibayong pag-iingat pa rin po, lalo na kapag mayroon tayong mga thunderstorms na kung minsan ay nagpapalakas ng alon ng karagatan,” he added.

(So extra caution is still advised, especially during thunderstorms, which can occasionally intensify sea waves.)