Fact check: Claim of five weather systems within, around PAR is misleading
MANILA, Philippines — A Facebook post claiming that five weather systems are being monitored within and around the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) is misleading.
Facebook page Weather Gazer Philippines shared a post to its 173,000 followers claiming that five weather systems or "sama ng panahon" are active around the Philippines.
In the list posted at 9:48 a.m. on Friday, August 7, Typhoon Dolphin, currently outside PAR, was cited for its role in strengthening the southwest monsoon or habagat.
A low pressure area (LPA) that used to be Tropical Depression Maymay is also said to be bringing rain to some parts of Northern Luzon, along with other weather disturbances being monitored.
The post's caption read, in part:
"LIMANG SAMA NG PANAHON, AKTIBO SA PALIGID NG PILIPINAS! ????????
Sa kasalukuyan, limang weather systems ang binabantayan sa loob at paligid ng Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at sa karatig-karagatan"
Rating: This is misleading.
Facts
The emphasis on five weather systems creates the misleading impression that all five warrant equal concern for the Philippines by grouping together a dissipated LPA, a typhoon outside PAR and three areas being monitored for possible development.
State weather bureau PAGASA said in its 11 a.m. public weather forecast on Friday that the LPA that was formerly Tropical Depression Maymay had already dissipated as of 8 a.m.
"Hindi na po nakakaapekto itong cloud clusters sa alinmang panig ng ating bansa," PAGASA weather specialist Benison Estareja said.
In a Facebook post published at 9:52 a.m., PAGASA said that no other LPAs were being monitored for tropical cyclone formation.
Meanwhile, Typhoon Dolphin has reentered PAGASA's monitoring domain but remains outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) as of 2 p.m.
The other three systems included in Weather Gazer Philippines' post — Invests 96W, 97W and 98W — are weather disturbances being monitored for possible development and are not guaranteed to become tropical depressions or storms.
An Invest, short for "investigation," refers to a weather disturbance being monitored "for potential future development into a tropical depression or storm," according to The Weather Channel.
Why we fact-checked this
At least four people have died due to the combined effects of tropical cyclones Luis and Maymay, along with habagat, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
Two of the fatalities died while one was injured from a landslide in Barangay Shilan, La Trinidad, Benguet, the NDRRMC said.
The other two deaths reported were from a rockslide incident in Rodriguez, Rizal, the agency added.
Around 80,633 individuals or 23,946 families nationwide have been affected by the continuous rainfall from the tropical cyclones and Habagat, NDRRMC said.
Weather Gazer Philippines' Facebook post has garnered over 1,300 reactions, 200 shares and 90 comments. — with reports from Janelle Liong
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