Motorists experience heavy downpour along Marcos Highway near the boundary of Metro Manila and Rizal province on Monday, Aug. 14, 2017. JODEE AGONCILLO / PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER PHOTO
(Updated 3:04 p.m., Aug. 14) Central Luzon and portions of Metro Manila will continue to experience heavy rains with lightning and strong winds for the next two hours due to thunderstorms, the state weather bureau said on Monday.
“Heavy rains with lightning and strong winds due to thunderstorms are expected over Bataan, Zambales, Pampanga, Laguna and Quezon within the next two hours,” the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its 1:44 p.m. weather advisory.
Pagasa said the same weather conditions are being experienced in portions of Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas (Nasugbu, Lian, Tuy), and Rizal (Cainta, Montalban), which may persist within one to two hours and may affect nearby areas.
Thunderstorms are also affecting areas in Visayas.
“(The public is) advised to take precautionary measures against the impacts associated with these hazards which include flash floods and landslides. Keep monitoring for updates,” the weather station said.
In its earlier weather forecast at 4:00 a.m., Pagasa said no typhoon or low pressure area are being monitored by the weather bureau as of this posting.
“Wala po taying bagyo o low pressure area na nakakaapekto sa ating bansa o saan man sa (We don’t have any typhoon or low pressure area in the country that is affecting the) Philippine area of responsibility (PAR),” Pagasa weather forecaster Gener Quitlong said.
Quitlong explained that the weather system affecting the Luzon and Visayas is the ridge or extension of high pressure area (HPA).
“Ito po young extension ng HPA kung saan makakaapekto ito sa Luzon at Visayas. At dahil din po dito ang buong bansa po ay makakaranas lamang ng bahagyang maulap hanggang maulap na may pulu-pulong pag-ulan at pagkidlat. Pagdating ng hapon o gabi maaari pong makaranas ng mga thunderstorms,” he added.
(This is just the extension of HPA that is affecting Luzon and Visayas. And because of this, the entire country will be experiencing partly cloudy to cloudy with patches of rains and thunderstorms. In the afternoon or later in the evening, we are expecting thunderstorms). JPV