Cloudy, wet Thursday in many parts of PH

MANILA, Philippines — Metro Manila and 19 other areas across the country will experience cloudy skies and rain showers on Thursday due to three weather systems, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

“Sa ating latest satellite images, makikita natin na tatlong weather systems na nakakaapekto sa ating bansa,” Pagasa weather specialist Obet Badrina said in a morning weathercast.

(In our latest satellite images, we can see three weather systems currently affecting the country.)

Pagasa said cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms will affect parts of the Visayas, Mindanao, Romblon, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, and Masbate due to the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ).

Meanwhile, the shear line, or the convergence of warm easterlies and cold northeast monsoon or “amihan”, will bring cloudy skies with scattered rains and isolated thunderstorms to the rest of the Bicol region, Quezon, Marinduque, Aurora, Isabela, Quirino, and Cagayan.

“Ang shear line o banggaan ng mainit at malamig na hangin na nakakaapekto sa silangang bahagi ng Northern and Central Luzon,” Badrina explained.

(The shear line, or the convergence of warm and cold air masses, is affecting the eastern portions of Northern and Central Luzon.)

“Gayundin ang intertropical convergence zone o ito ‘yung ITCZ na siyang nagdadala ng mga kaulapan at malaking chance na mga pag-ulan partikular na sa bahagi ng Mindanao, kasama din natin ang Visayas ilang bahagi ng Bicol region,” he added.

(In addition,  the intertropical convergence zone or ITCZ is bringing cloudy skies and a high chance of rainfall, particularly in parts of Mindanao, as well as in the Visayas and some areas of the Bicol region.)

Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will also experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to the shear line, Pagasa said.

According to Badrina, the northeast monsoon is likewise expected to bring cloudy skies and rains in Cordillera Administrative Region, the rest of Cagayan Valley, and Ilocos Norte.

“Ang ibang bahagi ng Cagayan Valley ay maaaring makaranas ng mahihinang mga pag-ulan dulot ng amihan o northeast monsoon, kasama din ang Ilocos Norte,” he said.

(Other parts of the Cagayan Valley may experience light rains caused by the northeast monsoon or amihan, including Ilocos Norte.)

Badrina likewise reported that no low-pressure area is being monitored inside and around the Philippine area of responsibility as of Thursday morning.

Pagasa did not raise a gale warning over any of the country’s seaboards on Thursday.