3 systems causing all this rain

MTSAT ENHANCED-IR Satellite Image 4:32 a.m., 17 September 2013

MANILA, Philippines—With three weather systems hovering around the country, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) is expecting a rainy week for Luzon and parts of the Visayas.

Tropical Depression “Odette,” which has become the prevalent weather system, is anticipated to continue to enhance the southwest monsoon, locally known as “hanging habagat.”

The southwest monsoon will bring on Tuesday moderate to occasionally heavy rains over the western sections of Central and southern Luzon, including the National Capital Region.

Metro Manila, Central Luzon and the Calabarzon region, as well as Occidental Mindoro, are expected to experience cloudy skies with moderate to heavy rains and thunderstorms. Pagasa alerted residents in the areas to the possibility of flashfloods and landslides.

Forecaster Samuel Duran told the Inquirer that apart from Odette, there are two other potential cyclones hovering within and just outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR). “One LPA is over the West Philippine Sea and the other is over the Pacific Ocean,” Duran said.

He said Typhoon “Man-Yi,” which hit Japan Monday, ceased its enhancement of the southwest monsoon once the LPA east of Casiguran, Aurora, developed into a tropical cyclone. “The two LPAs could also develop into tropical cyclones as long as they are over the ocean, but they are still too far away to have any effect on the southwest monsoon,” he said.

“Based on our assessment, the current weather conditions could prevail until the end of the week—on Saturday or Sunday—when Odette is expected to exit the PAR,” the forecaster said, referring to moderate to heavy rains in portions of Luzon.—Jeannette I. Andrade