Cebu can expect more localized thunderstorms and intermittent rain through the remaining days of September as the rainy season continues, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) Visayas.
PAGASA Visayas weather specialist Mark Gales said on September 23 that isolated rain showers may continue across Cebu, particularly from late morning through the afternoon as localized thunderstorms develop. Rainfall may range from moderate to heavy and could become intense in areas affected by stronger thunderstorms.
Gales said the southwest monsoon, or habagat, was still affecting the country, meaning the rainy season had not yet ended. The weather pattern could continue producing sudden changes in conditions across different parts of Cebu.
PAGASA’s regional forecast on September 23 also indicated partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms across much of the Visayas, while the trough of a tropical depression was affecting eastern sections of the region and parts of Mindanao.
The weather agency has also been closely monitoring a tropical cyclone that was still outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility when the Cebu forecast was issued. The system intensified into Tropical Storm Surigae and entered the PAR at around 7 a.m. on September 24, after which PAGASA assigned it the local name Queenie.
Before entering the PAR, PAGASA said the system could strengthen further and potentially reach typhoon intensity by the weekend. Its forecast track was expected to bring it toward the vicinity of Extreme Northern Luzon, while its trough was already contributing to rainfall over parts of Eastern Visayas and Mindanao.
For Cebu and other areas outside the system’s more directly affected zones, the immediate concern remains localized thunderstorms. PAGASA has warned that strong thunderstorms can bring sudden heavy rainfall, strong winds and localized flooding.
Residents are therefore advised to continue monitoring official PAGASA updates, particularly during periods of darkening skies or rapidly developing thunderstorms. Sudden downpours can occur even when the weather is initially fair.
With the rainy season continuing and Tropical Storm Queenie now inside the PAR, weather conditions across the country could remain changeable in the days ahead. For Cebu, PAGASA’s outlook points to more episodes of rain and thunderstorms rather than a return to consistently dry conditions as September draws to a close.
