The country is experiencing cloudy skies and scattered rains as five weather systems, including a low-pressure area (LPA) and the northeast monsoon (Amihan), continue to influence weather conditions nationwide, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported on Tuesday.
In its 5 AM advisory, PAGASA said the LPA was last spotted 275 kilometers east of Pag-asa Island, Kalayaan, Palawan.
While the system shows no signs of developing into a tropical depression, the weather bureau noted that it remains embedded within the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) — a weather pattern currently affecting Palawan, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
The ITCZ is expected to bring cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms over Negros Island Region, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, and Dinagat Islands, according to PAGASA.
Meanwhile, the rest of the Visayas and Mindanao will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers and thunderstorms, also due to the ITCZ.
In Batanes, residents can expect cloudy skies with light rains as the Amihan continues to strengthen. PAGASA officially declared the onset of the northeast monsoon on Monday, signaling the start of the cooler and drier months in most parts of the country.
At the same time, easterlies — or warm winds from the Pacific Ocean — are bringing partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers and thunderstorms over Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon.
PAGASA also warned of moderate to strong northeasterly winds and moderate to rough seas over Extreme Northern Luzon, while the rest of the country will have light to moderate winds and slight to moderate coastal waters.
The public, particularly fishermen and those in low-lying areas, are advised to remain alert to possible sudden downpours and rough sea conditions in the coming days.