Thunderstorms seen over Visayas, Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines - Mindanao and some parts of the Visayas are likely to experience severe thunderstorms this weekend due to a trough of a low-pressure area.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Central Visayas and Mindanao would continue to have cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms.

A trough of low pressure is an extended region of low pressure. It can lead to the development of a low-pressure system and severe thunderstorms.

The tail-end of a cold front, meanwhile, will bring partly cloudy to cloudy skies with rains over Metro Manila, as well as in the regions of Ilocos, Cordillera, Cagayan Valley and Central Luzon.

The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains and thunderstorms.

PAGASA warned fishermen in northern Luzon against sailing as the northeast monsoon would induce big waves.

The provinces of Batanes, Calayan, Babuyan, Ilocos Norte, Isabela, Cagayan, Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan will have rough to very rough seas with wave heights expected to reach 3.4 to 4.5 meters, it said.

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

The rest of the country will have slight to moderate seas.