The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Thursday, Sept. 19 said the southwest monsoon (habagat), enhanced by a tropical storm, may continue to affect parts of the country in the next 24 hours.
PAGASA Weather Specialist Benison Estareja said Tropical Storm “Pulasan” (formerly “Helen”) may continue to strengthen the effects of the habagat, even though the weather disturbance left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday, afternoon, Sept. 18.
Estareja warned that heavy to intense rainfall may persist in Zambales and Bataan.
Occasional light to heavy rains may also affect Pangasinan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Occidental Mindoro, and northern Palawan.
Meanwhile, Metro Manila, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Abra, Benguet, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Rizal, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Antique, Iloilo, and the rest of Palawan may experience cloudy weather with scattered rains and thunderstorms.
The rest of Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao may have partly cloudy to cloudy weather with isolated rain showers due to the habagat or localized thunderstorms.
PAGASA continues to warn the public about the possibility of flash floods or landslides.
In addition, Estareja said PAGASA is monitoring cloud clusters to the east and west of the country, as Low Pressure Areas may develop.
Based on PAGASA’s two-week tropical cyclone threat potential forecast, there is a low to medium chance that a tropical cyclone may form within the PAR in the coming days.
However, Estareja noted that no new tropical cyclone is expected to form within the PAR over the next 24 hours.