Tropical Depression Romina moves away from Kalayaan; shear line brings more rain
MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression Romina is no longer directly affecting Kalayaan Islands in the West Philippine Sea, but the shear line is dumping more rain in much of Southern Luzon and the Visayas on Monday, December 23.
Romina was already 165 kilometers west of Pag-asa Island, Kalayaan, Palawan, at 8 am on Monday. It is slowly moving north outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), heading for Vietnam.
It still has maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h and gustiness of up to 70 km/h.
The tropical depression did not enter PAR, but was given a local name on Sunday, December 22, as it affected Kalayaan Islands. The island group is part of the province of Palawan but located outside PAR.
With Romina moving away, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) already lifted Signal No. 1 for Kalayaan Islands at 5 am on Monday.
But PAGASA said “the channeling of winds” coming from the trough or extension of the tropical depression and the northeast monsoon or amihan will bring strong to gale-force gusts to Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Aurora, Bataan, Batangas, Cavite, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Lubang Islands, Calamian Islands, Cuyo Islands, Kalayaan Islands, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, and Caluya Islands on Monday.
Romina’s trough may also cause scattered rain and thunderstorms in Palawan on Monday.
Romina was the Philippines’ 18th tropical cyclone for 2024, and the second for December, after Tropical Depression Querubin.
For the shear line, PAGASA issued an updated rainfall advisory at 11 am on Monday, covering the following areas:
Monday noon, December 23, to Tuesday noon, December 24
- Heavy to intense rain (100-200 millimeters): Northern Samar, Albay, Sorsogon, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Quezon, Marinduque, Romblon, Camarines Norte, Masbate, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Aklan, Capiz
Tuesday noon, December 24, to Wednesday noon, December 25
- Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Quezon, Aurora
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Isabela, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon
Wednesday noon, December 25, to Thursday noon, December 26
- Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Aurora, Quezon
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Rizal, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Marinduque, Romblon, Northern Samar
ALSO ON RAPPLER
- House quad comm pushes for full-scale legal offense vs Harry Roque
- [The Wide Shot] I missed Simbang Gabi but found Christmas grace
- San Miguel falls to Eastern again after running out of gas in overtime
- Rain or Shine turns back skidding Terrafirma for 4th straight win
Areas affected by the shear line must stay on alert for floods and landslides.
The shear line refers to the point where cold air from the northeast monsoon converges with the easterlies or warm winds from the Pacific Ocean. – Rappler.com