MANILA, Oct. 6 (PNA) — The Intertropical Convergenze Zone (ITCZ) continues to be the dominant weather system affecting the country, according to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Monday.
In an interview, PAGASA weather forecaster Gener Quitlong said the ITCZ continues to affect Mindanao.
ITCZ, which is the thick clouds coming from the south of Asia, is considered a breeding ground for low-pressure areas (LPAs) or potential cyclones.
Because of ITCZ, Quitlong said Mindanao, Central Visayas, the provinces of Palawan, Leyte, Negros Occidental, Ilocos Norte and Cagayan will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms.
On the other hand, Quitlong noted that the rest of country including Metro Manila will continue to have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with possible isolated rains due to localized thunderstorms.
He said the convective activity brought about by intense heat triggers the formation of more cumulonimbus clouds or dark clouds associated with thunderstorms that brought rains.
Meanwhile, Quitlong said they continue to monitor a tropical storm that is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Wednesday or Thursday.
He added the Japan Meteorological Agency has already categorized the weather disturbance as a typhoon category.
He said that once it enters the country, it will be locally named “Ompong” — the 15th tropical cyclone to enter the Philippines this year and second for the month of October.
He said the next tropical cyclone is expected to exit the PAR and move toward the southern islands of Japan just like typhoon “Neneng.”
He added that it is not expected to make landfall in any part of the country.
PAGASA expects two or three cyclones to affect the country this month.
Quitlong said the state weather bureau also issued gale warning as strong to gale force winds associated with the northeasterly surface windflow enhanced by typhoon “Phanfone” which is expected to affect the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon.
”Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves,” PAGASA warned. (PNA)