Rain expected in parts of PH on October 17 due to ITCZ

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MANILA, Philippines – The intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) will continue to bring rain to parts of the country on Wednesday, October 17.

The ITCZ is a belt near the equator where the trade winds of the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere meet, usually causing low pressure areas or thunderstorms. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

In a bulletin issued 4 pm on Tuesday, October 16, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the ITCZ is affecting Palawan, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

Those areas will experience scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms on Wednesday. Residents should be on alert for possible flash floods and landslides, especially if the thunderstorms become severe.

The rest of Luzon will only have localized thunderstorms on Wednesday, mostly in the afternoon or evening. But flash floods and landslides are also possible if the thunderstorms bring heavy rain.

PAGASA also spotted two shallow low pressure areas (SLPAs) embedded in the ITCZ. But so far, these SLPAs are unlikely to develop into tropical cyclones and could just dissolve.

So far, the Philippines has had 17 tropical cyclones in 2018. The country usually gets an average of 20 tropical cyclones per year. (READ: LIST: PAGASA’s names for tropical cyclones in 2018)

PAGASA declared the start of the rainy season last June 8. – Rappler.com