Pagasa: Anticipate rains in afternoon

MANILA, Philippines - Don’t leave home without your umbrella.

Senior weather forecaster Leny Ruiz yesterday advised the public to bring their umbrellas whenever they leave home not just as protecton from the summer heat but also in anticipation of afternoon and evening rains.

Intense heat could lead to rain showers in the afternoon and the evening, he added.

Ruiz said Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon and the Visayas would experience passing rain showers, while Mindanao would have scattered rain showers.

“People would still experience hot days because it is summer but then there would be rains in the afternoon and evenings,” he said.

“Rains would be limited in areas where there are heavy cloud formations.”

However, Ruiz brushed aside fears that the rains would lead to floods.

“We would actually be having good weather,” he said.

“This is what we call ‘refreshing showers’ because after the rains we would have cool air and clear skies.”

Based on Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s (Pagasa) 5 a.m. extended weather outlook issued yesterday, the eastern section of Northern Luzon will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered passing light rains, while Mindanao will have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms.

The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to at times cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, mostly in the afternoon or evening.

Moderate to occasionally strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over extreme Northern Luzon and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to occasionally rough.

Elsewhere winds will be light to moderate coming from the east and northeast and with slight to moderate seas. – Evelyn Macairan