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Residents of Eastern Visayas and CARAGA regions must gear up for cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms brought by the low pressure area (LPA). The said weather disturbance was last spotted at 460 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur.

PAGASA Weather Forecaster Manny Mendoza said there is a higher chance of dissipation or weakening within 24 to 36 hours due to temperature, strong vertical wind shear and poor circulation. However, all are still advised to monitor updates and further development.

Meanwhile, the easterlies, characterized by warm and humid air, still prevail over the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), particularly the eastern section of the country. Metro Manila and the rest of the country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, mostly in the afternoon or evening. All sea travel are safe today as coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate.

Yesterday, most parts of the country experienced very warm weather due to the easterlies. Here’s a list of the highest temperatures:

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Mendoza added that temperatures will continue to shoot up. Today, people in Metro Manila should brace themselves for a scorching range of 26 to 35 degrees Celsius. Metro Cebu will have 25 to 32 degrees Celsius while Metro Davao will experience 25 to 34 degrees Celsius.

First used in potters’ wheels back in 3500 B.C. in Mesopotamia, the wheel has proven itself indispensable in the world of transportation—from ancient Grecian chariots and wheelbarrows, to the modern automobiles of today.

During vacation time, these round rotating devices become even busier as we embark on lengthy road trips to reach to our summer destinations.

But contrary to popular belief, the hot weather is not a major risk factor for tires. According to Brent Co, General Manager of AutoIndustriya, one of the country’s top automotive sources, “Hot weather will tend to lead to slightly higher tire pressure—but only 1 or 2 psi (pound-force per square inch). So this is negligible.”

Still, motorists need to be vigilant about tire maintenance. Failing to do so lead to, not only their vehicles’ poor performance, but also fatal accidents.

tires

Keeping your Tires in Tip-Top Shape
To ensure that our tires are in road-worthy condition, checking the following is a must:

Alignment
What is it?
Alignment refers to the adjustment of the structure that connects a vehicle to its wheels. The angles of the tires are adjusted to allow them to make contact with the road more efficiently.
Why is it important? According to Co, “Alignment ensures even wear of tires. Improperly aligned wheels also make driving a bit more difficult.” Since urban driving in our country does not always guarantee smooth roads, alignment must always be checked. Vehicles that don’t have proper alignment and often run on rough surfaces will suffer from balding or uneven tire wear.
How do you check it? Co advises, “Alignment should be checked every six months due to our road conditions and to ensure even wear of tires.”

Tread
What is it?
The tread is the rubber part of the tire that makes contact with the road. When the tread wears off, traction suffers.
Why is it important? Worn-out tires are dangerous and might result to blowouts, causing the driver to lose control of vehicle.
How do you check it? “Manufacturers recommend that the tires be periodically checked and rotated—in some cases, including the spare tire,” Co shares. “This is to maximize tire performance and meet its projected lifespan.”

Tire pressure
What is it?
Tire pressure is the amount of air in a vehicle’s tires.
Why is it important? “Improper tire pressure will lead to increased tire wear, tire blowout, and poor handling,” says Co. Tire inflation also affects the long-term durability of tires. Manufacturers often suggest a range of pressure motorists can choose from, depending on the driving condition. More inflated tires wear out slower and can carry heavier loads. Less inflated tires are more comfortable for passengers as these provide less bumpy rides.
How do you check it? Check your tire pressure at least monthly. Co reminds motorists to only use the recommended pressure provided by manufacturer, usually found on the side of front door or in the owner’s manual. “30 psi is not for all cars. The attendant just bases his knowledge on what people tell him to do.”

More Tire Care Tips

Park on paved surfaces. Parking on rocky surfaces might cause punctures.

Drive through potholes slowly. According to Co, this might damage your tires internally.

Make sure tires are cleaned regularly. This way, you ensure better traction for your tires. Allowing dirt to settle in your tires enable corrosion that affects your brake pads.

Travel light once in a while. A vehicle filled with passengers are bound to have tires that wear out faster because these are pushed harder against the ground.

Keep a spare tire. Having a flat tire is an unforeseen emergency, so keeping a spare tire is a must. Co says, “Make sure your spare tire is checked for air and wear. Try to rotate with other tires to make sure it gets used as well.”

Remember that tires have a deadline. Ask your manufacturer about the lifespan of your tires. Some manufacturers recommend a lifespan of ten years at the most. When you hit the recommended deadline, you must change your tires.

Maintaining your tires is an integral part of being a responsible motorist. And being a responsible motorist ensures road safety, not only for yourself, but for other drivers. So before you roll out, do remember that your tires need checking out.

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Eastern Visayas, Davao Region, CARAGA and Zamboanga Peninsula will finally experience rain showers due to the outer cloud bonds of the low pressure area (LPA). At 4 am today, the LPA was located at 750 kilometers east of Surigao Del Norte. PAGASA Weather Forecaster Alvin Pura said the LPA is slowly moving towards the landmass of Visayas and Mindanao, but is expected to dissipate within 24 to 48 hours.

Meanwhile, hot and humid weather will prevail over Metro Manila and the rest of the country brought by easterlies. Hot weather may result into thunderstorm activity in the afternoon or early evening.

Watch the interview of Panahon TV interview with PAGASA weather forecaster Alvin Pura for more information.

Days away from a new month, a Low Pressure Area is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility today.

Last estimated at 1,110 kilometer east of Surigao Del Norte, the said weather disturbance has a low chance of developing into a tropical cyclone within 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the easterlies continue to bring partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms in the country.

This weather system is guaranteed to bring warm and humid temperatures in the following hours. All are advised to do measures to lessen the discomfort this weather condition may bring.

food

With temperatures soaring at this time, food spoilage is one of our immediate concerns.

Ingesting contaminated food and drinks results to diarrhea or even food poisoning which may lead to dehydration. And dehydration is the very thing we need to avoid when the season is hot and dry.

So why do food spoilage easily occur during the warmer months? Most likely because of the following factors:

Improper food storage
This is the leading cause of food spoilage. Perishable food unrefrigerated for more than two hours is better headed to your compost pit than your stomach. Foods such as fish, meat, poultry and dairy products are especially prone to contamination in warmer weather.

Spoilage Bacteria.
These microscopic organisms multiply, sometimes rapidly, as long as nutrition and water are present. Bacterial growth rate is high in warm climate, resulting to the rotten appearance and foul smell in spoiled food.

To prevent food spoilage from spoiling your fun in the sun, here are some tips to keep your food safe and fresh:

· Wash your hands before handling food.

· Store food items separately and in tightly sealed containers to prolong their shelf life.

· Monitor food for sign of spoilage. If food is on its way to getting spoiled, remove it immediately to prevent its bacteria contaminating everything else inside the refrigerator.

· Avoid cross contamination by using separate utensils for raw and cooked foods.

· Thaw frozen food in a refrigerator or microwave oven before cooking, and not in the counter to avoid bacteria from rapidly contaminating your food.

· Fruits and vegetables should be washed before cooking to remove any dirt and soil residue that may contain bacteria.

· Keep cold food cold and reheat food after it has been kept in room temperature for a long time to destroy any bacterial growth.

· When doing grocery shopping, head to the frozen food section last. Pack raw and cooked foods separately.

· When eating outdoors, keep food covered and under the shade to prevent pests from diving into them.

· When faced with the dilemma of food spoilage, remember the wise words, “Remember, if in doubt, throw it out!”

icecream

Once again, it’s the perfect day to cool down with an ice cream cone as temperatures continue to soar. Easterlies, winds that have warm and humid properties, prevail over the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), particularly in the eastern section of the country. The whole archipelago can expect generally fair weather with chances of isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.

Meanwhile, no gale warning was issued today though fishing boats are still alerted to take caution in the seaboards of Northern Luzon as moderate to occasionally rough sea conditions will be experienced. The rest of the country will have slight to moderate seas throughout the day.

As of now, no weather disturbance is being monitored outside the boundary. PAGASA Weather Forecaster Chris Perez said the country will most likely be “bagyo-free” within the remaining days of April.

Yesterday, General Santos City at 37.2 degrees Celsius, topped the list of the areas that experienced the highest temperature.

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On the other hand, PAGASA continues to monitor the dry spell, which is currently affecting 30 provinces in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Dry spell happens when below the normal rainfall conditions are experienced within three consecutive months or two consecutive months of way below normal rainfall conditions.

Looking back in Philippine history, this is not the first time that our country experiences the effect of dry spell. In fact, last 2009 to 2010, several parts of the archipelago have suffered from the impact of dry spell, which according to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Manny Mendoza, was triggered by the moderate El Niño.

Read more about here: Decrypting the Dry Spell

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car care 3

To keep your cool while driving, it’s also important to keep your car cool. To stave off the intense heat this season, motorists, once again, turn to their cars’ air conditioning for salvation. Here’s how you can give your A/C some much-needed TLC.

Aircon Anatomy
To better care for your car’s A/C, it pays to be familiar with its different parts and functions.
• Compressor- pressurizes the refrigerant into hot liquid.
• Condenser – cools down hot refrigerant liquid, turning it into gas.
• Expansion Valve – removes pressure from the refrigerant as it transforms from liquid into vapor.
• Drier- eliminates moisture.
• Evaporator – fully evaporates the liquid, and further cools the air, which the A/C’s fan blows into the car.

Air Conditioning Care

Autoindustriya, one of the country’s leading automotive sources, gives us the lowdown on how to maximize our car’s air conditioner without wearing it out.

Say no to oil-based air fresheners.

Oil gathers dirt as it evaporates, posing threat to your air conditioner. Remember dirt can
clog your A/C, causing it to function poorly.

Cleanliness begets coolness.

Because dirt is a common culprit of faulty air conditioning, regularly vacuum the passenger side, especially its floor area, because this is where the A/C gets its air. This is also the reason why pets should be relegated to the back, to prevent their hair from getting sucked into the air conditioner.

Avoid parking on an uphill slope.

Doing so will prevent the accumulated water and moisture in the evaporator to drain out of the vehicle, and instead, trickle onto the passenger side. This can cause mold and bacteria to grow on the carpet, which can add to air impurities.

Avoid tailgating.

Maintain a safe distance from the vehicle in front of you so your radiator and condenser won’t be directly behind the car’s exhaust. When you allow a gap of 2-3 meters between you and the car ahead of you, fresh air can enter your condenser, allowing you to enjoy cooler temperatures.

Run your A/C regularly.

Make sure you run the A/C for about five minutes daily so the compressor oil can lubricate your cooling unit. Aside from cleaning your air conditioner regularly, Brent Co, General Manager of Autoindustriya, recommends regularly checking your cooling system to make sure there is a good mix of water and coolant. “Change coolant (blue or green-colored) every 18-24 months for older cars. Some long-life OAT (Organic Acid Technology)-based coolant (red-colored) has longer drain interval. Have your radiator fan checked also.”

Air conditioning is your friend, more so during this Hot and Dry Season. Temperatures may be soaring, but you can keep your own temper in check, if you’re driving in cool comfort and ease.

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Today, easterlies remain as the dominant weather system in the country, prevailing mostly in the eastern section of the country.

Easterlies are winds from the east passing across Pacific Ocean bringing hot and humid weather. As a result, the whole country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

Hot weather is most likely to continue until May. According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Fernando Cada, the normal onset of rainy season is from mid-May to first week of June. But for 2015, rainy season is expected to start mid-June. This is due to the effect of Weak El Nino. Wind characteristics are also being observed. For rainy season, “hanging habagat” or the southwest monsoon should be the primary wind system. Last year, the declaration of rainy season was made on the 10th of June.

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Rains during dry season is normal

 

PAGASA weather forecaster Alvin Pura explained that rain showers experienced yesterday was normal. Parts of Quezon City, Bulacan, Rizal and Laguna experienced heavy downpour due to thunderstorms.

The state weather bureau explained thunderstorms, which cause rain showers usually occur in the afternoon or evening due to the heat accumulated from morning until late lunch. This could be defined by the most basic weather process called water cycle.

During the scorching heat of the sun, evaporation happens from bodies of water. Water vapor forms into clouds and undergoes condensation. When clouds can no longer sustain the moisture, and have turned into a grayish color, they release water through precipitation in the form of rains, snow or hail.

Thunderstorm activities are normal during the hot and dry season. Read more about cloud transformation – Why Does it Usually Rain in the Afternoon and Evening?

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No weather disturbance is expected to threaten the country in the next three days.

Today, the easterlies will continue to bring warm and humid weather in the country as it affects the eastern section of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Everyone is advised to bring umbrellas for protection from the sun and possible thunderstorms.

Meanwhile, as we count down the hours before the world celebrates the Earth Day, here are some of the things you can do to help save the planet.