By Arlie O. Calalo
July 12, 2023
THE southwest monsoon locally known as "habagat" has re-emerged and is now enhancing the low pressure area (LPA) off Catanduanes, bringing rain over Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.
Weather specialist Obet Badrina of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the LPA was last spotted past 3 a.m. some 510kilometers east-northeast of Virac, also in the same province.
"It has still a slim chance to develop into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours but we have not yet ruled out its possibility of intensifying in the coming days," Badrina said.
Along with LPA, the southwest monsoon is affecting the western sections of Visayas and Mindanao, Pagasa said.
In particular, the LPA and habagat are bringing overcast skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Bicol Region, Mimaropa (Mindoro. Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, BARMM (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao), SOCCSKSARGEN (South Cotabato, Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos) and Quezon.
The state-run weather agency said the localized thunderstorms are affecting Metro Manila and the rest of the country where partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated downpours and thunderstorms will be experienced in 24 hours.
