Rains to persist over Metro Manila, other areas due to enhanced ‘habagat’

The low pressure area (LPA) that brought rains over Metro Manila and other parts of the country has already left the Philippine area of responsibility but may continue to enhance the southwest monsoon or “habagat,” the State weather bureau said on Sunday afternoon, Aug. 7.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms may prevail over Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan, Central Luzon, Bicol Region, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, and the entire Visayas because of the LPA-enhanced southwest monsoon.

“Under these conditions, scattered flooding and rain-induced landslides are likely, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps and in areas with significant antecedent rainfall,” it warned.

Meanwhile, the rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to the habagat and localized thunderstorms.

PAGASA advised the public to stay vigilant as severe thunderstorms, which are often accompanied by sudden heavy rains, lightning, thunder, gusty winds, and sometimes hail, could also trigger flash floods or landslides.

Moreover, the western section of Luzon may experience moderate to strong winds and moderate to rough coastal waters, while the rest of the country will have light to moderate winds and slight to moderate seas.