The local weather bureau said that the intense and sudden stormy condition experienced Sunday night was a mere case of a heightened thunderstorm not associated to a typhoon or storm.
Local weather chief Sonny Pajarilla told Palawan News that the wind intensity experienced is one of the hazards of thunderstorms. Thunderstorms happen during cumulonimbus clouds or the rain cloud, he said.
Pajarilla stressed that the weather scenario on Sunday night was not similar to Odette, as there is no storm present inside and outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). He added that it is impossible that there is a storm with any advance announcement coming from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
“Pansinin niyo noong mga nakaraan, malakas ang ating hangin, wala naman ganoong ulan, kasi amihan ‘yon. Mababa ang temperature noon. Ngayon, wala na ang amihan, easterlies, wala rin naman tayong malakas na hangin, mahina ang hangin. Nagkaroon lang, hazard na dala ng isang thunderstorm,” he said.
“Hindi naman pwede na may bagyo na walang advance announcement. Ang bagyo, hindi tulad ng lindol na bigla na lang bumubugso. Kaya nga may forecast, iyon nga lang, tayo, ang ating iniisip lagi kapag may hangin, bagyo. Hindi naman, may mga sistema lang nag anon ang sitwasyon pero wala tayong bagyo,” he added.
The wind has a significant intensity of 15 meters per second compared to the sustained winds of 2 to 3 meters per second average, he added. It is an expected scenario whenever there is a thunderstorm.
Pajarilla explained that the cumulonimbus cloud is thick, which has a higher vertical extent producing a cooler temperature after the rain shower.
“Malapad ang ulap tapos yelo ang top most, frictional drag ngayon ang nagdudulot ng malakas, daglian ng hangin. Pagbagsak ng ulan, mag-stabilize na ‘yong atmosphere, mawawala na rin ‘yong hangin. Nagpatagal ba ‘yong hangin kagabi? Hindi nagtagal, sandali lang ‘yon. Noong nakabuhos na ang ulan, nag-stabilize, nawala na ‘yon. Hanggang five minutes maximum, wala na ‘yon,” he said.
The isolated thunderstorms happen every day as the Philippines is a tropical and archipelagic country, but not in the same area, he added. Usually, the rains produced by isolated thunderstorms are experienced over elevated areas like mountains.
“Ang mga butil ng ulan kagabi, kakaiba. Maingay sa bubong, malalaki. Kasi galing sa yelo ‘yon, nabasag lang dahil sa friction plus mainit ang kaniyang dinaanan na portion ng atmosphere kaya natunaw. Pagdating sa ating mga bubong, tunaw na. Water droplets na lang,” he said.
In Purok Maligaya, Barangay San Jose, a tree branch fell on the roof of the Vigonte family, causing a hole.
Stella Vigonte told Palawan News that the strong winds reminded her of Odette, which was traumatizing.
“Actually, mabilis lang parang walang 5 minutes, as in hangin lang. pero may kasamang ulan. Tapos noong sobrang lakas, narinig ko na may umuugong feeling ko nga sa mukha ko babagsak ang puno sa lakas ng tunog,” she said.
The rain with intensified wind experienced Sunday night also caused a line fault, resulting in a temporary power interruption in some areas of Puerto Princesa. (with a report from Arphil Ballarta)
