Pagasa raises yellow alert over Luzon areas; more rains seen

MTSAT ENHANCED-IR Satellite Image 3:32 p.m., 06 August 2012

MANILA, Philippines–The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) on Monday raised a yellow alert over areas within the western section of Luzon, including Metro Manila, as the southwest monsoon (habagat) continues to bring heavy rainfall.

Pagasa weather forecaster Jori Loiz said that the yellow alert meant that flooding is possible in low-lying areas and areas near river channels in the National Capital Region, Pangasinan, Zambales, Batangas, Mindoro, and Panay Island due to moderate to heavy rains brought by the southwest monsoon.

Moderate to heavy rains, he pointed out, may trigger flashfloods and landslides in mountainous terrain.

Loiz told the INQUIRER that rainfall in Metro Manila from 11 p.m. Sunday to 2 am Monday was measured at 31 cubic meters, which was relatively high.

The amount of rainfall increased water levels in several dams and rivers, causing flooding in areas affected by the monsoon.

He pointed out that the effect of the monsoon, which has brought rains and occasional gusty winds, may continue until Wednesday but a shallow low pressure area (SLPA) spotted 920 kilometers east of Northern Luzon might move nearer to the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and enhance the southwest monsoon.

“For now the southwest monsoon is being enhanced by the pull of Tropical Storm ‘Haikui.’ But should the LPA develop more fully, it might enhance the southwest monsoon and bring more rains,” Loiz explained, adding that the effect of the monsoon would depend on the behavior of the SLPA.

The southwest monsoon is moving northeast towards Haikui, which is moving westward towards southern Japan.

While the western section of Luzon will have moderate to heavy rains, the rest of the region and the Western Visayas will continue to have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms. Other parts of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest will prevail throughout the country and coastal waters will be moderate to rough. Strong to gale force wind is expected to affect the seaboards of Luzon making the sea condition rough to very rough.

The weather bureau advised fishing boats and other small seacraft not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves.