Queenie Stays Far From PH, But ITCZ Rains Set to Drench Visayas Through Midweek
Severe Tropical Storm Queenie may be steering clear of the country, but Filipinos in Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, and the rest of the Visayas shouldn't put away their umbrellas just yet. According to the 5:00 p.m. bulletin from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Queenie was last spotted 605 kilometers east-northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, moving northward at 15 km/h with maximum sustained winds of 110 km/h and gusts of up to 135 km/h. The storm is expected to intensify into a typhoon within the next 12 hours before eventually curving northeastward and exiting the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by tomorrow evening.
While Queenie poses no direct threat to the country, PAGASA flagged a separate weather system as the bigger concern for the coming days: the Intertropical Convergence Zone, or ITCZ — the meeting point of wind patterns from the northern and southern hemispheres. This weather system is expected to bring scattered rains, thunderstorms, and lightning to several parts of the Visayas and Mindanao starting today and continuing into the middle of next week.
For Cebu, Bohol, Leyte, and the rest of the region, PAGASA's outlook points to a cloudy stretch with scattered rain showers rather than a direct typhoon threat. For today until tonight, the bureau specifically listed the Negros Island Region and Central Visayas among the areas expected to see cloudy skies with scattered rains, thunderstorms, and lightning due to the ITCZ.
Looking further ahead, PAGASA's three-day outlook (Monday to Wednesday) points to Central and Western Visayas, along with Eastern Visayas, experiencing more sustained rainfall from Monday through Tuesday due to the ITCZ, with conditions gradually improving by Wednesday.
This means residents in low-lying and flood-prone communities across the three provinces should stay alert for possible localized flooding, even without a typhoon in the immediate vicinity. PAGASA reiterated that isolated but potentially intense thunderstorms can still trigger sudden downpours strong enough to cause flash floods in vulnerable areas.
For today until tomorrow evening, the rest of Visayas — outside the ITCZ-affected zones — will still see rain, but mainly from localized thunderstorm activity rather than the convergence zone itself. Fair weather is expected in the mornings and early afternoons, with rain chances rising later in the day and into the evening, a pattern PAGASA said will hold into tomorrow as well.
Residents across Cebu, Bohol, and Leyte are advised to keep an umbrella or raincoat handy, particularly in the afternoons and evenings when localized thunderstorms are more likely to develop. Although no gale warning is currently in effect over Philippine waters, PAGASA cautioned that sea conditions could turn choppy in areas experiencing offshore thunderstorm activity, producing strong wind gusts and rougher wave conditions. Fisherfolk and small boat operators are urged to monitor local advisories closely before heading out to sea.
Communities in low-lying and flood-susceptible parts of the Visayas are encouraged to watch for rainfall advisories or heavy rainfall warnings that PAGASA may issue as the ITCZ's effect intensifies through Tuesday. The agency said it will continue monitoring conditions and issuing updated advisories as needed, with the next tropical cyclone bulletin on Queenie expected at 11:00 p.m. today.
For real-time updates on localized thunderstorm advisories, rainfall advisories, and heavy rainfall warnings specific to their area, residents were encouraged to follow PAGASA's official social media accounts and its DOST-PAGASA Weather Report YouTube channel, as well as check the agency's official websites for the latest bulletins.
Quick Summary
- What: Severe Tropical Storm Queenie is intensifying and moving away from the Philippines, but a separate weather system — the ITCZ — will bring rain to parts of the country.
- Where: Negros Island Region and Central Visayas (today/tonight); Central, Western, and Eastern Visayas (Monday–Tuesday outlook), alongside parts of Mindanao and Palawan.
- When: Scattered rains from today through tomorrow, with heavier ITCZ-driven rainfall expected Monday and Tuesday, easing by Wednesday.
- Impact on Visayas: Cloudy skies, scattered rains, thunderstorms, and lightning; risk of localized flooding in low-lying and flood-prone areas; rougher sea conditions possible near offshore thunderstorm activity.
- Source: PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) Weather Forecasting Center, 5:00 p.m. bulletin.