Shear line, easterlies, ITCZ to bring scattered rains; PAGASA monitoring LPA

Three weather systems — a shear line, the easterlies and the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) — are currently affecting the country and will bring rains over several areas, PAGASA said in its weather forecast for Sunday.

The shear line or the line at which the northeasterly wind flow and the easterlies meet is affecting Northern Luzon and will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Cagayan Valley, Apayao, and Ilocos Norte, according to PAGASA weather specialist Benison Estareja during the forecast aired on Facebook. Flash floods or landslides may occur during times of moderate to heavy rains.

The ITCZ or the area where the winds from the northern and southern hemispheres meet will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Visayas, Mindanao, Masbate, and Sorsogon. During times of moderate to heavy rains, flash floods or landslides may occur.

Meanwhile, the easterlies (warm winds from the Pacific Ocean) and localized thunderstorms will cause partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms over Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon. Flash floods or landslides may result during severe thunderstorms.

PAGASA is also monitoring a low pressure area (LPA) still outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

At 3 a.m., the LPA was located 1,780 km east of Mindanao. It is expected to enter PAR on Monday, then cross Visayas, Mindanao and Palawan from Tuesday to Thursday.

Estareja however said the LPA has a low chance of intensifying into a tropical depression.

Gale warning

PAGASA raised a gale warning in areas in Northern Luzon due to the northeasterly surface windflow.

The following areas are under a gale warning, as waves may reach from 2.8 to 5 meters tall, according to Estareja:

• Batanes;
• Ilocos Norte;
• Ilocos Sur;
• La Union;
• Pangasinan; and
• the northern coast of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands

Coastal waters in the rest of the country will be moderate to rough, with waves reaching from 1.2 to 3.1 meters tall.

Sunrise was at 5:51 a.m. while sunset will be at 6:09 p.m. —KG, GMA News