ITCZ affects Visayas, Mindanao

Local

IT’S going to be wet in the coming days in Cebu and the rest of the region as the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) continues to dump rain across the Visayas and Mindanao.

State meteorologists said on Saturday, Nov. 15, that this extends a weeklong spell of unsettled weather, with more rain expected in the coming days.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) reported that the ITCZ remains the dominant weather system affecting Palawan, the Visayas, and Mindanao, bringing cloudy skies with scattered rain and thunderstorms throughout the day.

In its early morning forecast, Pagasa said the entire Visayas, Palawan, including the Kalayaan Islands, and Occidental Mindoro will experience light to moderate winds from the northeast to east, along with slight to moderate seas.

For Metro Cebu and the rest of the province, rain-filled conditions are expected to persist over the next several days. From Saturday, Nov. 15, through Nov. 17, the region can expect cloudy skies with rainshowers and

thunderstorms, with temperatures ranging from 25°C to 30°C on Saturday and 25°C to 28°C from Sunday through Monday.

Conditions are forecast to gradually improve by Nov. 18 and 19, shifting to partly cloudy to cloudy skies, with temperatures rising to 32°C and seas remaining slight to moderate.

Pagasa cautioned that flash floods or landslides may occur in areas experiencing moderate to heavy rainfall.

Beyond the Visayas and Mindanao, several parts of Luzon will also see unstable weather. The Bicol Region, Quezon, and Mimaropa will have cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms due to the ITCZ, while the Cordillera, Cagayan Valley, and Aurora are expected to experience cloudy skies with light rains brought by the northeast monsoon.

The Ilocos Region will see partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains, and the rest of the country may experience partly cloudy to cloudy conditions with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms caused by localized thunderstorms.

Northern Luzon will experience moderate to strong winds and moderate to rough coastal seas, while the rest of the archipelago will continue to see lighter winds and more manageable sea conditions.

As of 2 a.m. today, Pagasa said no low-pressure area (LPA) is being monitored for possible tropical cyclone formation.

The weather bureau urged the public, especially residents in low-lying and landslide-prone areas, to remain alert and monitor its succeeding updates.

“All are advised to monitor updates from DOST-PAGASA,” the agency said.(TGP)