MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) forecasted fairer weather in a big part of the country on Sunday as the southwest monsoon weakened.
Pagasa Weather Specialist Obet Badrina said in the 5 a.m. Public Weather Forecast that the tropical depression outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility was pulling the southwest monsoon away from the Philippines.
"The southwest monsoon is weak now and we expect that southwest monsoon will continue to be weak tomorrow, Monday, up to Tuesday," Badrina said in Filipino.
He said that "a big portion of our country will experience fairer weather today although isolated rains, thunderstorms, often in the afternoon or up to evening or sometimes in predawn hours, are still possible."
He added that the easterlies, which he said "are the winds from the Pacific Ocean," was affecting particularly part of extreme north Luzon.
A big part of Luzon "will experience generally fair weather or the possibility of heavy rains is low today although localized rainshowers and thunderstorms are still possible," Badrina said.
Palawan would also experience generally fair weather, he said.
A big part of the Visayas "will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers, thunderstorms often in the afternoon up to evening."
As to mainland Mindanao, Pagasa forecasted partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers and thunderstorms.
No gale warning was issued. "Nevertheless, thunderstorms are still possible and sometimes these still strengthen waves so Pagasa's advice is to still be careful, most especially the small vessels, if we have thunderstorms...," Badrina said.
He also said it was expected that on Monday, the western section of Mindanao would experience "generally fair weather although localized thunderstorms are still possible."
