MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) might declare the start of the amihan season in the next days.
Pagasa Weather Specialist Grace Castañeda-Carpio said in the 5 p.m. weather update that the northeasterly windflow was affecting extreme northern Luzon area.
"Tonight, this will bring light rains or drizzles here in the area of Batanes and Babuyan Islands," she said in Filipino and English.
Castañeda-Carpio explained that the northeasterly windflow is the "precursor" to the northeast monsoon (amihan).
"As of the moment, we have no official declaration yet of the start of the amihan season but we are monitoring and we expect that it is possible for us in the next days to officially declare the start of the amihan season," she said.
Castañeda-Carpio also said there still were slight flare-ups of cloudiness in the western section of Mindanao due to the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ).
She said that rain showers were still possible tonight in parts of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi even as she said that less rainfall due to the ITCZ was expected compared to previous days.
For other areas including Metro Manila, Castañeda-Carpio said the skies would be partly cloudy to cloudy. "Isolated rain showers, thunderstorms, are still possible due to localized thunderstorms," she added.
As to the forecast weather for Tuesday, Castañeda-Carpio said light rains were still possible in Batanes and Cagayan due to the northeasterly windflow.
She added that skies would be partly cloudy to cloudy on Tuesday in a large part of Luzon.
"Light rains or drizzles are also possible [on Tuesday] here in Ilocos Norte still due to the northeasterly windflow," she said.
As to Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon, she said that sudden but brief rains were possible on Tuesday due to localized thunderstorms.
She also said that by Tuesday evening, the chance of rains would be high in the eastern part of Luzon.
The chance of "scattered rains, thunderstorms" due to the Intertropical Convergence Zone on Tuesday was high in parts of Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi, Castañeda-Carpio said. "But throughout the day, it is possible that these rains will also lessen," she said.
The skies would be partly cloudy to cloudy in the rest of Mindanao as well as Palawan and the Visayas "but by afternoon and evening, the chance of isolated rain showers due to localized thunderstorms increases," she said. Short periods of rains were possible during severe thunderstorms, she added.
No gale warning was issued by Castañeda-Carpio cautioned those who would go out to sea in extreme northern Luzon because seas would be moderate to rough "within the next 24 hours."
Castañeda-Carpio said that from Wednesday to Friday, skies would continue to be partly cloudy to cloudy in Metro Manila. "If we will experience rains, these will mostly be isolated rain showers due to localized thunderstorms," she said.
Baguio City would have light rains or drizzles due to the northeasterly windflow by Wednesday, she said. This city might experience rain showers and thunderstorms by Thursday and Friday, based on Pagasa's forecast.
As to the area of Legazpi City, Castañeda-Carpio said that the chance of "scattered rain showers, thunderstorms, possibly due to the easterlies or shear line," was high. Pagasa forecast less rain by Friday but, she said, "isolated rain showers due to localized thunderstorms are still possible."
Skies in parts of Metro Cebu, Iloilo City, and Tacloban City would be partly cloudy to cloudy from Wednesday to Friday, she said. "If we will experience rains, these will mostly be just isolated rain showers by afternoon and evening" due to localized thunderstorms, she said.
As to Metro Davao, Cagayan de Oro, and Zamboanga City, Pagasa forecast that skies would continue to be partly cloudy to cloudy from Wednesday to Friday. Castañeda-Carpio said that if rains would be experienced, these would mostly be isolated rain showers. However, she said, short periods of heavy rain are possible during severe thunderstorms.