Pagasa weather satellite image
MANILA, Philippines — The southwest monsoon is expected to cause rain over the western portions of Luzon and Visayas on Saturday, June 8, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said.
Pagasa weather specialist Daniel James Villamil noted in a report the presence of thick cloud formation in the western sections of Luzon and Visayas as an effect of the southwest monsoon, locally known as “habagat,” as well as the high possibility of sustained cloudy and rainy conditions throughout the day.
In the early morning weather bulletin, Pagasa said Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, and Palawan will experience overcast skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to the southwest monsoon.
READ: Pagasa: Cloudy Friday with scattered rain showers in most parts of PH
For Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon, localized thunderstorms will trigger partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers.
“We still anticipate a high chance of thunderstorm activity by late afternoon to evening,” Villamil said in mixed Filipino and English.
The remaining areas of Visayas and Mindanao, meanwhile, were seen to have fair weather – hot and humid conditions – although chances of usual late afternoon to evening rain showers or thunderstorms remain, he added.
Pagasa urged precautions against possible flash floods or landslides due to moderate to at times heavy rains, or during severe thunderstorms.
No gale warnings were raised over any seaboards of the country for June 8, Villamil said.
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Pagasa declared the official onset of rainy season in the country on May 29 as it noted that the occurrence of scattered rain showers, frequent thunderstorms, passage of a typhoon and southwest monsoon days before brought significant rain fall over the western parts of Luzon and Visayas.
On June 7, Pagasa said the El Niño phenomenon has ended in the Philippines and predicted that the arrival of the La Niña phenomenon remains likely.
“DOST [Department of Science and Technology]-Pagasa announces the end of El Niño, as the conditions in the tropical Pacific have returned to El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-neutral levels. Moreover, a transition from ENSO-neutral to La Niña remains likely (about 69% chance) by July-August-September 2024 season,” Pagasa said in a statement Friday.