The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported on Monday, July 14, that the southwest monsoon, locally known as habagat, continues to bring rain to several parts of the Philippines.
In its 4 p.m. weather bulletin, PAGASA identified Western Visayas, the Negros Island Region, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Occidental Mindoro, Romblon, and Palawan as areas experiencing cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms. These weather conditions are due to the southwest monsoon and may lead to flash floods or landslides, especially during periods of moderate to heavy rainfall.
Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of the country can expect partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms throughout the day. Although these rains will be generally light, PAGASA warned that localized thunderstorms may still trigger flash floods or landslides in vulnerable areas.
As for wind and sea conditions, extreme Northern Luzon is experiencing moderate winds from the southwest, resulting in moderate coastal waters with wave heights between 1.2 to 1.8 meters. The rest of the country is forecast to have light to moderate winds coming from the southwest to west, with slight to moderate seas ranging from 0.6 to 1.5 meters.
In addition, PAGASA is closely monitoring a low-pressure area (LPA) located outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). As of 2 p.m. Monday, the LPA was located approximately 1,870 kilometers east northeast of extreme Northern Luzon. The weather bureau said this LPA has a “medium” chance of developing into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours.
Temperature readings for the day show a minimum of 25.5°C recorded at 6:00 a.m. and a maximum of 31.2°C at 2:00 p.m. Relative humidity ranged from a high of 94% at 5:00 a.m. to a low of 71% at 5:00 p.m.
PAGASA continues to advise the public and local government units to remain vigilant against possible hazards, particularly in areas prone to flooding and landslides, as the monsoon continues to enhance rainfall in the coming days.