Metro Manila, rest of Luzon face rainy week

MANILA, Philippines—Metro Manila and the western side of Luzon will be drenched in rain in the next few days due to a pronounced southwest monsoon and a new low pressure area that has formed off the coast of Zambales, the weather bureau said.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said residents of Metro Manila and provinces on the western seaboard should expect intermittent downpours until Wednesday because of the monsoon and the weather disturbance in the South China Sea.

Pagasa forecaster Glaiza Escullar said the monsoon that was pulled inland by typhoon “Chedeng” was “strong.”

The southwest monsoon usually brings rains in the afternoon or early evening. But because the monsoon had intensified, it would be dumping rain every two to three hours, Escullar said.

“The southwest monsoon will be the prevailing weather condition on the western side. It will bring moderate rains in short intervals,” she said.

As of 2 p.m. on Sunday, satellite images showed the low pressure area to be 390 kilometers west of Iba, Zambales, Pagasa said.