Rain dampens first day of 2018 in Visayas, Mindanao

Cloud clusters can be seen over much of the Visayas and Mindanao in this satellite photo released by the Pagasa on Jan. 1, 2018. PAGASA IMAGE

The Visayas and some parts of Mindanao should brace for heavy rain and thunderstorms brought by a low pressure area (LPA), the weather bureau said Monday.

In its daily weather forecast, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said the whole of the Visayas, as well as Caraga and Northern Mindanao, would experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms caused by the trough of the LPA.

The Bicol Region and the rest of Mindanao will experience cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms, Pagasa said.

The bureau warned that flash floods or landslides may occur in these areas.

As of 3 a.m., the LPA was spotted 545 kilometers east of Surigao City, Surigao del Norte.

The northeast monsoon (amihan), on the other hand, will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain in the provinces of Cagayan Valley, Aurora, and Quezon, and the Cordillera region, Pagasa said.

Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will experience party cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain brought by the northeast monsoon. /cbb