MANILA, Philippines — A typhoon may develop in the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) between Dec. 16 to 22, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.
Based on the typhoon cyclone threat potential forecast issued by PAGASA on Sunday, the typhoon may affect the Visayas and Southern Luzon.
“At present, we do not monitor a tropical cyclone inside the PAGASA monitoring domain for the first forecast period (Dec. 9 to 15), but we expect that during the second week forecast period (Dec. 16 to 22), a tropical cyclone-like vortex may develop near the southern part of the tropical cyclone advisory domain,” the state weather bureau said.
According to them, there is presently a small to medium chance that a new tropical cyclone may develop.
Once a new typhoon enters PAR, it will be named Querubin and will be the 17th typhoon to affect the country this year.
At least six typhoons successively entered PAR from the latter part of October to November, causing massive destruction in many areas.
PAGASA weather specialist Benison Estareja has said that three weather systems are currently affecting the country, but no typhoon is expected to develop within the next four days.
Estareja said that the northeast monsoon or amihan will bring rains in Northern Luzon, while the shear line is currently affecting the eastern side of Luzon and the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) will affect Mindanao, Palawan and the Visayas.
Shear line brings rain
PAGASA weather specialist Rhea Torres said yesterday that based on the latest satellite report, rains will be experienced in a big portion of Southern Luzon.
“Tomorrow (today), more areas will be affected by the shear line,” Torres said.
“At present, we do not monitor typhoons outside or inside our Philippine area of responsibility, but many areas in the country will experience rains brought by the three weather systems,” she added.
Torres said the northeast monsoon is currently affecting Cagayan Valley and the Cordillera Administrative Region, while Palawan, the Visayas and Mindanao are affected by the ITCZ.
“The ITCZ will bring cloudy weather in the Southern Philippine area,” she said.
Torres said that yellow warning or moderate to heavy rains or up to 100 millimeters of rains were experienced in Aurora, Quezon, Camarines provinces, Albay, Sorsogon, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Dinagat Islands, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro and Palawan in the last 24 hours.
Meanwhile, localized suspension of classes was implemented in areas in Albay after the provincial government gave the discretion to local government units amid the rains being experienced in the province.
