Good weather back, says Pagasa

MTSAT ENHANCED-IR Satellite Image 3:00 a.m., 25 February 2013

MANILA, Philippines—Generally good weather is forecast to prevail on Monday, particularly in Metro Manila, although occasional light rains may dampen the eastern portion of the country.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) forecaster Fernando Cada said Metro Manilans planning to join Monday’s commemoration of the 1986 People Power Revolution should bring umbrellas, not just for possible rain, but more to protect themselves from the sun.

Cada told the Inquirer there would be “considerably good weather” in Metro Manila, with partly cloudy and cloudy skies and only a small chance of rain although the amihan (northeast monsoon) was still hovering over Luzon.

Provinces in the eastern portion of the country, he said, would have light rains as a result of the amihan.

Cada said that although Sunday and the days previous were hot, summer had not yet arrived. “Summer will be officially here with the termination of the northeast monsoon,” he said.

He said the end of the amihan was among the factors considered by Pagasa in officially declaring the advent of summer. Also considered are whether the winds in northern Luzon had started blowing from the east to southeast and if the easterlies (winds coming from the east) had begun in southern Luzon and the Visayas and Mindanao.

“That is the time we expect temperatures to rise,” Cada said.

Additionally, Pagasa said moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast would prevail throughout the country on Monday. Coastal waters will be moderate to rough.

Pagasa warned of strong to gale force winds associated with the amihan that are expected to affect the seaboards of Luzon and make sea conditions rough to very rough. It advised fishing boats and other small seacraft not to venture out to sea and alerted larger sea vessels to the possibility of big waves.