WeatherPH trains in cyclone preparations
JUST IN time for the year’s rainy season, 16 Luzon cities are now better prepared against the onslaught of tropical cyclones and other weather disturbances, thanks to weather training provided by the Weather- Philippines Foundation.
This training was conducted last Aug. 5 in partnership with the League of Cities of the Philippines, and came in two sessions: Weather 101 and Tropical Cyclone 101.
Weather 101 focused on laymanizing technical weather terms, weather systems, and processes, while Tropical Cyclone 101 highlighted the significant characteristics of tropical cyclones in the Philippines.
During the months of July, August, and September, the average track of tropical cyclones is within what is called Extreme Northern Luzon (Batanes Area).
While some of these tropical cylones may not have a significant impact on the Philippines, they enhance the southwest monsoon, so the weather knowledge gained from these trainings enables local government units (LGUs) to make decisions that are appropriate to the weather’s impact.
“In severe weather conditions, we have a tendency to overprepare and underprepare. Sometimes, we have classes during localized thunderstorms, or we suspend work despite fair weather,” said Celso Caballero III, WeatherPhilippines vice president and general manager.
“We want to empower communities with the essential weather knowledge, because no matter how accurate the weather information is, you cannot fully optimize it for work or lifestyle if you do not know the basic weather systems that affect our lives,” Caballero added.
WeatherPhilippines is set to conduct more weather trainings with LGUs and private companies that want to integrate weather into their urban planning, risk management, and business continuity models.