Calm before Yolanda: Cloudy Thursday across PH

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MANILA, Philippines – It will be the calm before Typhoon Haiyan enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday, November 7.

The entire country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies Thursday, save for some light rains in parts of the archipelago, state weather bureau PAGASA said in its 24-hour forecast.

Northern and Central Luzon will feel the effects of the northeast monsoon, or the Amihan, the bureau said.

As of 4 pm Wednesday, November 6, Haiyan was located 1,221 kilometers east of Mindanao, carrying maximum sustained winds of 175 kilometers per hour, and gusts of up to 210 km/h.

It is currently moving west northwest at a speed of 30 km/h, and is expected to enter the PAR by Thrsday morning.

When it enters the PAR, Haiyan will be given the PAGASA codename Yolanda.

The bureau said it could be the strongest tropical cyclone to hit the country this year. Landfall is expected to be on Friday, November 8, over the Samar-Leyte area, between 12 noon and 3 pm.

It will cross the Visayas, taking a path that will pass through the Samar-Leyte area, northern Cebu, northern Panay, Masbate, the Mindoro and Romblon area, and northern Palawan.

Haiyan is still expected to strengthen as it traverses the Philippine Sea.

Meanwhile, as Haiyan hovers outside the PAR, the archipelago on Thursday will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with light rains over northern and central Luzon.

The rest of the country will have isolated rains or thunderstorms, mostly over the eastern sections.

Prevailing winds will come from the northeast, the bureau added.

City	Forecast		Temperature Range
Metro Manila		Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains	24°C-33°C
Tuguegarao		Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains	22°C-29°C
Laoag		Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains	23°C-33°C
Baguio		Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains	15°C-24°C
Subic/Olongapo; Clark/Angeles		Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains	25°C-30°C
Tagaytay		Partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms	22°C-29°C
Legazpi		Partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms	24°C-31°C
Puerto Princesa		Partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms	24°C-31°C
Iloilo/Bacolod		Partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms	24°C-30°C
Metro Cebu		Partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms	25°C-31°C
Tacloban		Partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms	24°C-31°C
Cagayan de Oro		Partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms	24°C-31°C
Metro Davao		Partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms	24°C-33°C
Zamboanga		Partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms	24°C-31°C

– Rappler.com