MANILA — The intense typhoon season may be over for November, but the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) predicts one or two more storms could affect the country in December.

PAGASA Administrator Nathaniel Servando confirmed Saturday (23 Nov 2024) that no low-pressure areas or storms are expected to form within or outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility for the remainder of November.

However, Servando cautioned that the upcoming northeast monsoon, or “amihan,” could influence the intensity of any storms in December. If a tropical cyclone enters early in the month, it could be stronger. But any storms later in December are unlikely to become super typhoons due to the stabilizing effects of the monsoon.

The recent series of typhoons, including Nika, Ofel, and Pepito, caused widespread disruption, affecting nearly 4 million people. The hardest-hit regions were Bicol, with nearly 2 million people impacted, followed by Cagayan Valley (809,637) and Eastern Visayas (408,593), according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).

Cloudy skies, scattered rain showers

Meanwhile, a combination of easterlies and the northeast monsoon is set to bring cloudy skies, scattered rain showers, and thunderstorms across various regions of the country today, November 23, 2024.

PAGASA has issued a weather update, outlining the forecast conditions, potential impacts, and other important weather details.

Weather Conditions

Eastern Visayas, Caraga, Davao Region, Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga del Norte, and Palawan: Cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms are expected in these regions. The ongoing easterlies will cause moderate to occasionally heavy rains, which may lead to flash floods or landslides.

Batanes and Babuyan Islands: These areas will experience cloudy skies with rains brought about by the northeast monsoon. Similar to other regions, moderate to heavy rainfall may trigger flash floods or landslides.

Metro Manila and the Rest of the Country: Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms are forecast across the rest of the country. Though rain activity will be lighter, severe thunderstorms may still lead to flash floods or landslides in localized areas.

Wind and Coastal Water Conditions

Extreme Northern Luzon: Strong winds coming from the northeast are expected, resulting in rough seas with wave heights ranging between 2.8 to 4.0 meters.

The Rest of Northern Luzon: Moderate to strong winds will prevail in these areas, with seas expected to be moderate to rough (2.1 to 4.0 meters).

The Rest of the Country: Light to moderate winds from the northeast will bring slight to moderate coastal conditions, with wave heights between 0.6 to 2.5 meters.

Temperature and Relative Humidity

The latest 24-hour weather observations recorded at the PAGASA Weather Station in Science Garden, Diliman, Quezon City are as follows:

Maximum Temperature: 33.5°C at 1:00 PM

Minimum Temperature: 22.5°C at 6:15 AM

Relative Humidity: 93% at 6:00 AM (highest) and 50% at 12:00 PM (lowest)

Satellite and Surface Analysis

PAGASA has also issued updated satellite images and surface pressure maps, showing the distribution of winds and pressure systems at 8:00 AM today. These conditions reflect the ongoing influence of the northeast monsoon and easterlies across the country.

Tides and Astronomical Information

For Metro Manila, PAGASA has also provided details on tidal movements for the day. The latest astronomical data and tide predictions will help in monitoring potential impacts in coastal areas, particularly during high tides.

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