Students returning to school on Monday, June 16, are advised to bring umbrellas and rain gear as parts of the country are expected to experience rain and thunderstorms, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

PAGASA weather specialist Obet Badrina on Sunday, June 15 said the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) will continue to affect parts of Mindanao and Eastern Visayas, bringing scattered rain showers and thunderstorms to these areas.

However, he noted that rainfall may gradually lessen in the coming days.

The ITCZ is a weather system where winds from the northern and southern hemispheres converge, resulting in the formation of rain clouds.

Meanwhile, the rest of the country will be affected by easterlies, or warm winds from the Pacific Ocean, which are expected to bring generally fair weather conditions.

Badrina added that skies will be mostly clear due to the temporary weakening of the southwest monsoon (habagat), but isolated thunderstorms remain likely.

He also noted that no tropical cyclone is expected to form or enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility in the next few days.

Despite the fair weather in some areas, Badrina advised students and commuters to remain prepared, as localized thunderstorms may still bring rain showers, particularly in the early morning, afternoon, and evening, in various parts of the country.