CEBU CITY, Philippines — It will be a wet weekend in Cebu as rains are expected until Sunday, December 22, 2019.
This is according to Ned Saletrero, weather specialist of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration Mactan (Pagasa Mactan), who attributed these rains to the trough or extension of the low pressure area (LPA) located in Surigao del Sur.
Saletrero said that LPA would bring scattered rains and cloudy skies not just in Cebu City and the province but to the rest of Central Visayas on Saturday afternoon until dawn on Sunday.
She said that the LPA, however, had no chance of developing into a tropical depression.
“If you have outdoor activities tomorrow, make sure you have backup plans in case it starts to rain,” said Saletrero.
She also said that they were also monitoring another LPA that could develop into a tropical depression (TD) outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
She said that once this LPA would enter the PAR possibly on December 23 and 24 on Eastern Visayas side and possibly develop into a tropical depression then it might possibly bring rains on those days or on Christmas Day.
She said then Central Visayas especially northern Cebu might experience strong winds and heavy rains on December 25.
Saltetrero advised Cebuanos who would be planning to go on a trip outside the province or the island via boat should travel by Sunday.
Meanwhile, Rhee Telen Jr. of the Cebu Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Division (PDRRMD), said the provincial vehicles would be on standby for the monitoring of the possible tropical depression this coming Christmas.
“We are preparing as always … we are concerned more about the rain as with our previous experiences on the typhoons before which brought with its rain fatalities,” said Telen.
Telen reminded the residents in the high risk areas to be on alert and to contact the nearest government agencies in case of any emergencies./dbs