The southwest monsoon or “habagat” and the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) may bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms to parts of the country in the next 24 hours, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Tuesday, Sept. 6.

PAGASA warned of moderate to, at times, heavy rains as it may trigger flash or landslides in Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, Zambales, and Bataan.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to the habagat and localized thunderstorms.

PAGASA advised the public to stay vigilant as flash floods or landslides may occur during severe thunderstorms, which are often accompanied by sudden heavy rains, lightning, thunder, gusty winds, and sometimes hail.

As of Tuesday morning, PAGASA monitored a tropical depression outside the country’s area of responsibility or about 1,680 kilometers east-northeast of extreme Northern Luzon.

It has maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 55 kph, and is moving west-southwestward at 20 kph.

PAGASA weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio said the tropical depression is too far to have a direct effect on any part of the Philippines.

It is also not enhancing the habagat, he said.

PAGASA said that two or three tropical cyclones may develop within or enter the country’s area of responsibility in September.

The next tropical cyclone names will be Inday, Josie, and Karding.