Most parts of Luzon and Visayas will experience a gradual improvement in weather condition as the effect of the southwest monsoon or “habagat” has weakened.
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio said the habagat has temporarily weakened and only light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms will prevail over Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, and Palawan.
Aurelio said PAGASA is monitoring a low-pressure area inside the country’s area of responsibility or 730 kilometers east of General Santos City yesterday morning.
While the LPA is less likely to intensify into a tropical cyclone, he said that its trough or extension will bring scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Eastern Visayas and Mindanao.
Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have generally fair weather with partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to localized thunderstorms.
Aurelio warned that rains, especially during severe thunderstorms, could trigger possible flash floods or landslides over low-lying and mountainous areas.
PAGASA also warned that moderate to rough seas will prevail over the seaboards of Luzon. Those with small seacraft should not set sail into these areas.
Meanwhile, due to the monsoon rains, the water level at Angat Dam in Bulacan further increased yesterday.
Based on PAGASA monitoring as of yesterday morning, the water level at Angat Dam was 161.08 meters, up by 0.79 meters from last Tuesday’s 160.29 meters.
It is slightly above the Angat Dam’s 160-meter critical level but still way below the reservoir’s 180-meter minimum operating level and 210-meter normal high water level.
“We are hopeful that the rains continue to pour in Angat Dam and the water level to rise steadily,” National Water Resources Board Executive Director Sevillo David Jr. said. (Ellalyn V. Ruiz)