Overcast skies seen on Election Day

MANILA, Philippines—Expect overcast skies on Election Day on Monday in most parts of the country, but better bring an umbrella to guard against sun or rain, the state weather bureau advised on Friday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) predicted cloudy skies over the Southern Tagalog and Bicol regions and most parts of Mindanao on Monday, the day of the midterm polls.

Metro Manila, on the other hand, is seen to be partly cloudy with isolated rains and thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening, a forecaster said.

“Voters should bring an umbrella with them in case it rains, and also to shield against the sun,” said Pagasa forecaster Aldczar Aurelio.

He said the Intertropical Convergence Zone, or the result of the convergence of trade winds from the northern and southern hemispheres, was still affecting Southern Mindanao.

The ITCZ typically brings widespread cloudiness, occasional thunderstorms and rains over the affected areas.

In its outlook for Saturday, Pagasa said Mimaropa (Occidental and Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Western Visayas and Mindanao will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms. Aurelio said this weather would likely continue through the weekend until Monday.

Moderate to occasionally strong winds blowing from the southeast will prevail over the eastern section of the country and the coastal waters along this area will be moderate to occasionally rough, Pagasa said.

Light to moderate winds coming from the southeast to south will prevail over Palawan and from the southeast over the rest of the country with slight to moderate seas, it added.

Aurelio said summer would end and the rainy season would start sometime between the last week of May and the first week of June.