Weather Today – December 12, 2014 | Fair weathered Friday

After days of monitoring Tropical Cyclone Hagupit, locally named Ruby, the Philippines is free from any weather disturbance inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

However, a low pressure area, estimated at 1,040 kms east of Mindanao, threatens to enter PAR within 24 hours.

State meteorologist Buddy Javier says it has a slim chance of intensifying into a cyclone. However, continuous monitoring will still be implemented for any significant changes that may occur.

Meanwhile, the regions of Cagayan Valley, Cordillera and Ilocos will experience isolated light rains and partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies due to the prevailing northeast monsoon or Amihan.

On the other hand, Metro Manila and the rest of the archipelago can expect fair weather conditions today, apart from isolated thunderstorms.

Sea condition is moderate to rough throughout the archipelago, apart from the seaboards of Northern Luzon, where the seas are going to be rough to very rough. Strong to gale force winds are also expected to affect the mentioned seaboards due to the surge of the northeast monsoon.

ATTENTION: SKYGAZERS

The annual Geminids meteor shower is near peaking. On the night of December 14 (Sunday until the early morning hours of December 15 (Monday), we, folks here in the Philippines, will get to see an average of 40 meteors or “falling stars” per hour.

Active since December 4 until til December 17, the Geminids meteors originate not from a comet, but from an asteroid identified as 3200 Phaethon. It is considered to be one of the finest meteor showers this year.

The Geminids are also known as fireball meteors. These are bright and fast meteors which can persist longer than the usual meteor streak since the fireballs come from larger particles of material.

PAGASA’s Chief of Space Sciences and Astronomy Section Engr. Dario L. Dela Cruz says meteors from this shower are very rocky and gritty and slightly easier to see compared to the other showers.

For first-timers, the best way to view the Geminids meteor shower is under a dark, cloudless sky. No need for special equipment; just find a place away from the city or bright lights. Let your eyes adjust to the dark and take in as much of the sky.