Philippines Braces for Rainy Thursday as Three Weather Systems Converge

MANILA – Residents across the Philippines are preparing for a wet Thursday, as three distinct weather systems are set to bring varying degrees of rainfall throughout the country. A low-pressure area, currently positioned 245 km east of Surigao City, Surigao del Norte, is expected to cause scattered showers and thunderstorms across the Visayas and Mindanao regions. Similarly, the Bicol region and Quezon province are forecasted to experience scattered rains and thunderstorms due to a shear line impacting the eastern part of Southern Luzon. Heavy to intense rainfall is anticipated in areas such as Sorsogon, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Norte. Moderate to heavy rains are expected in Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Masbate, Cebu, Bohol, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, and Surigao del Sur. In contrast, the northeast monsoon, known locally as ‘amihan,’ will bring light rains to Cagayan Valley, the Cordillera region, Aurora, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, and Romblon, with isolated light showers in other parts of Luzon. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has warned of strong to gale-force winds and rough to very rough seas in the northern and western sections of Northern Luzon. Moderate to strong winds and rough coastal waters are expected along the eastern section of the country, while the rest of the archipelago will see light to moderate winds and slight to moderate seas.