Rainy, cloudy New Year’s Day in most parts of PH

MANILA, Philippines — Cloudy skies and rain showers caused by three weather systems will prevail in many parts of the country on Wednesday, New Year’s Day, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

In an early morning update, Pagasa weather specialist Benison Estareja said rains are expected in Batanes, Ilocos region, the  Cordillera Administrative Region except Apayao, and Nueva Vizcaya due to the northeast monsoon or “amihan.”

Estareja likewise said that Metro Manila, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon) Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, Apayao, Aurora, Bulacan, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Camarines Norte, and Camarines Sur will also experience cloudy skies with scattered rains and isolated thunderstorms due to the shear line, or the convergence of warm easterlies and cold northeast monsoon.

Flood, landslide warnings

“Mag-ingat po sa mga posibleng pagbaha pa rin at pagguho ng lupa. May mga areas na malapit sa kabundukan at ‘yung mga facing Pacific Ocean na mas madalas ang mga pag-ulan, habang merong mga paminsan-minsang mga on and off rains dito sa Metro Manila at mga kalapit na lugar,” Estareja said.

(Beware of possible flooding and landslides, especially in areas near mountains and those facing the Pacific Ocean where rains are more frequent. Meanwhile, occasional on-and-off rains may occur in Metro Manila and nearby areas.)

ITCZ effect down South

Meanwhile, cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms are forecast in the Visayas, Caraga region, Davao region, Palawan, Romblon, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, and Masbate due to the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ).

The ITCZ, Estareja explained, is the line where winds from the northern and southern hemispheres meet.

“So make sure po na meron pa rin dalang payong kung lalabas ng bahay ngayong araw,” he reminded the public.

(So make sure to bring an umbrella if you’re going out today.)

Pagasa is not expecting any tropical cyclone to enter the Philippine area of responsibility for the rest of the week.

Sea conditions

The state weather bureau did raise a gale warning over any of the country’s seaboards on Wednesday.

Estareja, however, warned operators of small vessels  of wave heights reaching up to 3.5 meters in the coastal waters of the Ilocos region and extreme northern Luzon.

“Whereas for the rest of our country, asahan pa rin ang banayad hanggang katamtaman na mga pag-alon kapag merong mga thunderstorms. Umaabot lamang ng 2.5 metro at wala namang inasahang sea travel suspensions hanggang sa araw ng Friday,” he added.(Whereas for the rest of our country, expect calm to moderate waves during thunderstorms, reaching up to 2.5 meters, with no anticipated sea travel suspensions until Friday.)