‘Video on Phl snow a hoax’

MANILA, Philippines - The state weather bureau said yesterday that the video posted on YouTube about the first recorded snow in the Philippines is a hoax.

Weather forecaster Chris Perez of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) told The STAR that it is impossible for snow to fall in a tropical country like the Philippines.

He said many tropical areas have only two seasons – dry and wet.

The video titled, “Philippines’ first recorded/documented snow yay! [ORIGINAL] [07/24/13]” was posted by RoddGasminnTV.

The snow allegedly happened in the southern part of the country.

PAGASA weather division chief Robert Sawi also said snow is unlikely to happen in the Philippines because for almost the whole year, the country is exposed to direct sunlight.

“We always experience warm weather, especially in the southern Philippines where they said the snow happened,” Sawi said.

PAGASA forecaster Fernando Cada also branded a hoax another YouTube video titled, “Snow in Baguio City Philippines” which was posted last Feb. 4.

Meanwhile, Perez said southern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao will continue to experience cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms due to the intertropical convergence zone.

He said Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be partly cloudy with isolated rains and thunderstorms especially in the afternoon or evening.

Perez said they spotted a low-pressure area off the West Philippine Sea but it is not expected to directly affect the country in the next few days as it is expected to move towards southern China.