The latest storm and low pressure forecast from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on December 13 said that a low pressure near the East Sea may appear during the week of December 13 to 19 and is likely to strengthen into a storm.
PAGASA forecasters said that forecast models indicate that the low pressure will form in the southern boundary of the Philippine PAR forecast area. The low pressure will then move closer to the east of Mindanao and the Visayas. This low pressure near the East Sea will form between December 13 and 19 and is likely to strengthen into a low to moderate storm.
Previously, in its forecast earlier this week, PAGASA said that a potential low pressure area is developing outside the PAR and will approach the Philippines in the week before Christmas. PAGASA forecasters warn that the low pressure area has the potential to strengthen into a low to moderate tropical storm. When it strengthens into a tropical storm, this storm near the East Sea will be named Querubin, the 17th storm to affect the Philippines this year.
In addition to the low pressure likely to strengthen into storm Querubin, in the latest storm and low pressure forecast on December 13, PAGASA warned of the possibility of another low pressure near the East Sea forming between December 20 and 26. This new low pressure may appear in the eastern coast of Mindanao and the Visayas. The low pressure area that formed after potential storm Querubin is unlikely to strengthen into a tropical storm.
The latest weather bulletin from PAGASA said that the Philippines will not record any new storms until this weekend. However, the easterly winds will cause heat and humidity in the country along with some areas with localized thunderstorms.
In addition to the westerly winds affecting Bicol and Quezon, the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) is causing cloudy skies in Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-tawi, weather expert Rhea Torres said. Meanwhile, the northeast monsoon will appear in Cagayan Valley, Apayao, Kalinga, Mountain Province and Ifugao, causing overcast skies and light rains. Light rains caused by the northeast monsoon will also affect Ilocos, Central Luzon and Cordillera regions.
In the weather forecast for next week released at noon on December 13 and effective until 12:00 on December 20, PAGASA said that the northeast monsoon and the tropical convergence zone will affect the weather in the Philippines until December 14. On December 15, wind shear is expected to bring cloudy skies with scattered rain and thunderstorms in Bicol, Quezon. The northeast monsoon will bring cloudy skies with light rains in Cagayan, Cordillera and Central Luzon.
From December 16-18, wind shear is forecast to continue to cause cloudy skies, scattered rain and local thunderstorms in Metro Manila, Bicol, Calabarzon, Marinduque, Romblon, Oriental Mindoro, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija and Aurora. Due to the low pressure near the East Sea forming during this period, the Caraga, Davao, and northern Mindanao regions will experience cloudy skies with scattered rain and thunderstorms.
The weather forecast for the Philippines from December 19 to 20, PAGASA warned that due to the combined influence of low pressure and wind shear, the areas of Mimaropa, Bicol, Visayas and Mindanao are expected to have cloudy skies with scattered rain and thunderstorms. Meanwhile, the northeast monsoon is expected to bring cloudy skies with light rains in Metro Manila, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Apayo, Rizal and Laguna.
