‘Expect gloomy weather’

Metro Cebu will experience cloudy to light moderate rain showers and thunderstorms for the next few days due to the tail-end of cold front, according to Pagasa-Mactan’s morning forecast yesterday.

The gloomy weather will continue till Wednesday but a better weather can be expected when activities for this year’s Sinulog start on Thursday, said Pagasa-Mactan chief Alfredo Quiblat said.

“We have not yet monitored any Low Pressure Areas (LPAs). But since Amihan or the northeast monsoon is prevailing since November and will stay till February, an LPA is unlikely to develop since it will be melted by the cold front,” Quiblat said in a phone interview.

He said there could be one weather disturbance for the month of January.

With the maximum sustained wind of 30-60 kilometers per hour which can bring three to four meters wave height, Quiblat said they already have issued a gale warning on their Friday morning forecast and is not yet lifted on their 5 p.m. forecast yesterday.

Despite the gale warning, Cebu Coast Guard Commander Rodolfo Villajuan, passenger and cargo ships can still travel from the Cebu port depending on the situation.

“Depende lang sa sitwasyon ng dagat. Kahit na may gale warnings, kung okay yung dagat, pwede naman sila maglayag.

Pero kung talagang delikado, hindi namin sila pinapayagan (It will depend on the situation. Even if there’s gale warnings but the seas are fine, boats can still sail. But if the seas are rough, we will not allow them to sail,)” he said.

Fishing boats, however, are advised not to sail in case the seas turn rough. He said they will keep monitoring the sea condition.