Friday afternoon's bout of intense monsoon rains has boosted the water level of Angat Dam in Bulacan.
The rainfall accumulation was measured at 89.2 millimeters from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, based on the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration's (PAGASA) data at its Science Garden station in Quezon City.
The highest accumulated rainfall was observed between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. at 75.2 meters.
In comparison, the total rainfall from "Ondoy" in the first six hours of the tropical storm in 2009 was measured at 341 millimeters, and reached 455 millimeters during its 24-hour rainfall.
In August 2012, the southwest monsoon or "habagat" enhanced by a typhoon with international name "Haikui" brought 222.6 millimeters of rainfall in nine hours.
While the rainfall last Friday was lesser than Ondoy and the 2012 habagat rains, it could have spelled disaster for many people especially those living in areas that are at high-risk for floods and landslides if it continued for a few more hours.
It should be noted, however, the rains also helped increase the level of water in Angat Dam.
Based on PAGASA's monitoring, Angat Dam's water level increased by 0.35 meters from 181.67 Friday to 182.02 on Saturday.
PAGASA weather specialist Joey Figuracion said rains may persist within the next 48 hours due to the monsoon trough, a part of the intertropical convergence zone that is attached to the southwest monsoon system.
The trough is also a breeding ground for potential low pressure areas and tropical cyclones.
Figuracion said the habagat will also be partly enhanced by tropical depression "Enteng" spotted east of Luzon, which may bring monsoon rains over the western section of Luzon, particularly Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Palawan, Romblon, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Metro Manila, Zambales, and Bataan.