CEBU CITY, Philippines — Metro Cebu can expect fair weather with chances of rains due to localized thunderstorms and InterTropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), from Thursday, December 15, 2022, until Tuesday, December 20, 2022.
In an interview on Thursday, December 15, Philippine Atmospheric and Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa)-Mactan station chief Engineer Al Quiblat Jr. said that as of now, they have not yet monitored any tropical cyclone that may enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) in the next five to seven days.
“On that note, for the next five days, based sa atong forecast issued at 5 am today, makasinati ta og fair weather, meaning, (the sky is) partly cloudy, but (with) chances of rain due to localized thunderstorms, and, of course, yung ITCZ,” he said.
“Ang hangin is 20 to 30 kilometers per hour and slight to moderate ang atoang kahimtang sa kadagatan,” he added.
The expected temperature in Metro Cebu, he added, will range from 24 to 32 degrees Celsius.
Tropical Cyclone Forecast
Quiblat, however, asked the public not to be complacent even though they have not monitored any possible tropical cyclone based on their latest Tropical Cyclone Potential Threat Forecast (TTPF).
This is because the state weather bureau expects at least two tropical cyclones to develop in December, he said.
“Wala tay nakita nga potential or LPA nga mahimong bagyo, but then again, naa pa man ta sa tropical cyclone season. Makita ra na sa atong information, kay naa ra bay ITCZ. Atong mahinumduman nga ang kanang ITCZ is a series of weak Low Pressure Area. Ang bagyo, naa na magsugod sa Low Pressure Area,” he said.
The Pagasa’s TTPF was formulated, he said, to detect or evaluate likelihood of TC formation within the PAR.
He said with the prevailing Northeast Monsoon (Amihan) in the country, the wind coming from mainland China forces the track or direction of tropical cyclones to hit Visayas and Mindanao, with 60 percent of chances, every November to December.
“Naa pa ta karon sa Amihan so posible pa nga naa pay bagyo kay ang atong forecast ron sa December is 1 to 2 tropical cyclones man. Di ta mo kompyansa kay basin naa pay usa pero di ta mag-ampo nga duna,” he said.
The first tropical cyclone that visited the country this month was Tropical Storm (TS) Rosal, which left the country last December 12.
Pagasa defines TS as a tropical cyclone with a maximum wind speed of 62 to 88 kilometer per hour.
/bmjo
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