PAGASA: Prepare for 2-hr thunderstorms on All Saints’ Day

Filipinos going out on All Saints’ Day may have to brace for thunderstorms lasting up to two hours, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Tuesday. PAGASA officer-in-charge Dr. Graciano Yumul said an inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) will bring rains to the Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas and Mindanao. Zamboanga Peninsula and Basilan will also experience light to moderate rains, while the rest of Luzon can expect generally fair weather with afternoon rains, Yumul said. For his part, PAGASA forecaster Sonny Pajarilla also hinted at a potential cyclone — a low-pressure area — that may form from the ITCZ later this week. "Maganda ang balita sa pupunta pa sa sementeryo o ang iba nagbabakasyon na, medyo maganda ang panahon na ating inaasahan. (Pero may) isolated rain showers at thunderstorms ang ine-expect sa tanghali hanggang early part ng gabi," Pajarilla said in an interview on dzBB radio. He said Filipinos can expect cloudiness to build up and result in thunderstorms that he said may last between 30 minutes and two hours. This will be true particularly for the northern, central and western parts of Southern Luzon, including Metro Manila, he added. "Pag naibuhos yan sandali lang yan, 30 minutes to one hour and 30 minutes. At most ang pinakamatagal dalawang oras (Once the thunderstorm starts, it will last for 30 minutes up to two hours)," he said. SLPA Meanwhile, Pajarilla said a shallow low-pressure area (SLPA) continues to affect parts of the Bicol Region, and parts of the Visayas and Mindanao. He said that while the SLPA is now east of Mindanao, it will bring the cloudiness inland. "Ang payo natin sa kababayan natin [ay] magdala ng payong (Our advice to the public is to bring umbrellas when going out today)," he said. Meanwhile, Pajarilla hinted a new LPA may form from the ITCZ later this week. "Within the week meron tayong LPA na mabubuo along that area (Within the week we may see a new LPA forming from the ITCZ)," he said. For now, he said the SLPA will affect northeast Mindanao and Eastern Visayas, but will have a small chance of becoming a cyclone. If the SLPA indeed becomes a cyclone, it will be codenamed "Sendong." PAGASA’s 5 a.m. bulletin indicated the SLPA was estimated at 530 km east of Mindanao, embedded along the ITCZ affecting Visayas and Mindanao. "[The] Bicol Region, Visayas and Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms. The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening," it said. It said moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over Luzon and its coastal waters will be moderate to rough. Also, strong to gale force winds associated with the surge of the northeasterly surface windflow may affect the seaboards of Northern and Central Luzon and the eastern seaboard of Southern Luzon. — with Carmela Lapeña/RSJ, GMA News