The Philippines remains under a monsoon break, a period when the southwest monsoon or “habagat” has no direct effect on the country, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Monday, June 15.

But while generally fair weather conditions are expected to prevail, PAGASA weather specialist Chenel Dominguez warned that thunderstorms developing later in the day could still bring heavy rains and trigger flash floods or landslides in vulnerable areas.

“Nasa panahon pa rin tayo ng tag-ulan pero ‘yung nararanasan natin ngayon ay ‘yung tinatawag nating monsoon break kung saan walang direktang epekto ang southwest monsoon o habagat sa anumang parte ng ating bansa (We are still in the rainy season, but what we are experiencing now is what we call a monsoon break, wherein the southwest monsoon or habagat has no direct effect on any part of the country),” she said.

Dominguez noted that the easterlies remains the dominant weather system in the country.

“Patuloy pa rin ang pag-iral ng easterlies o ‘yung mainit at maalinsangan na hangin na nanggagaling sa dagat Pasipiko at nakakaapekto sa eastern sections ng Visayas at Mindanao (The easterlies, or warm and humid winds from the Pacific Ocean, continue to affect the eastern sections of Visayas and Mindanao),” she said.

She added that no low-pressure area or tropical cyclone has been monitored inside or outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility as of Monday morning.