By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz
The southwest monsoon or habagat has started to affect the western section of Luzon, but it is not officially the rainy season yet.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has yet to declare the onset of wet or rainy season associated with the prevalence of habagat over the country.
According to PAGASA weather specialist Meno Mendoza, the habagat will bring cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms over Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, and Palawan.
Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to localized thunderstorms.
PAGASA warned that rains, especially during severe thunderstorms, could trigger possible flash floods or landslides over low-lying and mountainous areas in the entire archipelago.
Mendoza said PAGASA does not see the formation of a low-pressure area or tropical cyclone that may affect the country in the next two to three days.
He added that the weather bureau has not issued a gale warning thus fisherfolk and seafarers are safe to sail.
Slight to moderate seas will prevail over the entire country.
So far, PAGASA does not see the formation or entry of a tropical cyclone inside the country in the next three days, he said.