Pagasa warns of tropical cyclone on Christmas Day

MANILA, Philippines - The weather bureau warned yesterday that a tropical cyclone is likely to hit the same areas affected by super typhoon “Pablo” in the Visayas and Mindanao on Christmas Day.

Robert Sawi, weather division chief of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said they expect the formation of a tropical cyclone off the Pacific Ocean in the next five days.

He said there is a possibility that the weather disturbance will hit the Visayas and Mindanao, the areas devastated by Pablo early this month.

Pablo – the strongest cyclone to hit the country so far this year – left over 1,000 dead and thousands of families homeless.

“It is expected to approach or cross the Visayas and Mindanao area on Christmas Day,” Sawi said.

PAGASA, meanwhile, said partly cloudy skies with brief rainshowers or thunderstorms will continue to prevail over most parts of the country until Sunday.

It said the Visayas and the regions of Caraga and Davao will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Cagayan Valley and Bicol and the provinces of Aurora and Quezon would experience cloudy skies with light rains, while Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be partly cloudy with brief rainshowers or thunderstorms.

The weather bureau also advised fishermen in Luzon and Eastern Visayas not to go out into the sea due to big waves generated by the northeast monsoon.

It said strong to gale force wind was expected to affect the seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboard of Central and Southern Luzon and Eastern Visayas.

The northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon (Batanes, Calayan, Babuyan, Cagayan, Isabela, Ilocos Norte, Aurora, Quezon and Bicol Region) and the eastern seaboard of the Visayas (Northern Samar, Eastern Samar and Southern Leyte), the western seaboard of Northern Luzon (Ilocos Sur and La Union) will experience rough to very rough seas.

“Fishing boats and other small seacraft are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves,” PAGASA said.

Ann Fortich, senior weather specialist of PAGASA, also advised people to stay indoors if the storm hits the country on Christmas Day.

“It is most likely to be just a tropical storm,” Fortich said.

Fortich said the weather bureau is still monitoring the progress of the storm.

She said the potential storm is also likely to pass Cagayan de Oro City.

Fortich has advised residents living in areas most likely to be affected by the coming storm to reinforce their houses. With Jigger Jerusalem