MANILA: Overcast skies and rain showers are expected in parts of the country on Tuesday (Dec 31) due to four weather systems, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
In a 4am 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.
“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,” Pagasa weather specialist Obet Badrina explained in a morning weathercast.
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.
“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,” Badrina explained.
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.
“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,” Badrina said.
“So extra caution is still advised, especially during thunderstorms, which can occasionally intensify sea waves,” he added.
