PAGASA: Heavy rains to continue until midweek

MANILA, Philippines (Philippines News Agency) — The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the country might continue experiencing heavy rains until midweek.

In an interview with PAGASA forecaster Aldczar Aurelio on Saturday, he said the heavy rains enhanced by the southwest monsoon or "habagat" may prevail for the next five days.

A low pressure area (LPA) which is outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) enhances the southwest monsoon," Aurelio explained.

He added that for Sunday's forecast, PAGASA expects more monsoon rains over Metro Manila, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Batangas.

Aurelio emphasized that these areas must be cautious about possible floods and landslides.

Occasional rains will prevail over the rest of Ilocos region, Cordillera Administrative Region, the rest of central Luzon, Mimaropa and western Visayas.

Cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms will be experienced over the rest of Luzon and Visayas.

Mindanao will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms, PAGASA added.

Moderate to strong winds will blow from southwest over the entire archipelago, and the country's coastal waters will be moderate to rough.

In its Sunday advisory, PAGASA said monsoon rains will still be experienced over Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon and Mimaropa, while occasional rains will prevail over Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region and Western Visayas. Monsoon rains may trigger flashfloods and landslides in the said areas.

Luzon and Visayas will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms while Mindanao is expected to experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

In a radio interview, Georgina Garcia, public information officer of the Office of Civil Defense in Calabarzon, said they are still monitoring the effects of monsoon rain in the region but it has already slightly stopped.

She said there are no reported landslides in their region.

“Sa monitoring namin ng ibang probinsiya, tumila na po iyong mga pag-ulan sa kanila,” Garcia said.

Meanwhile, moderate to strong winds blowing from  the southwest to west will prevail throughout the archipelago and the coastal waters will be moderate to rough. ?— With reports from Philstar.com/Rosette Adel