MANILA, (PNA) — The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Monday morning issued a orange rainfall warning in Metro Manila as well as some Luzon provinces as it expects heavy to intense rains.
The orange rainfall advisory, the second in its three-stage rainfall warning system is raised in areas where rainfall is between 15 mm and 30 mm within one hour.
Flooding is a definite threat in communities under the orange alert.
In its twitter account, an Orange Rainfall Warning issued at 5:45 a.m. Monday, PAGASA said that heavy to at times intense rains affecting Metro Manila, Zambales, and Bataan most likely will continue for the next three hours.
However, moderate to heavy rains affecting Rizal, Bulacan, Pampanga and portions of Laguna, Quezon, Cavite, and Occidental Mindoro may persist within three hours.
PAGASA issued an orange rainfall advisory over Metro Manila, warning of rain due to the southwest monsoon affecting southern Luzon and Visayas.
Weather forecaster Connie Dadivas said that due to tropical storm Pabuk (international name) which is still outside the country enhances the the southwest monsoon that will bring rains over the most parts of Luzon and Visayas.
She also said the tropical storm has small chance to enter the country but will pass over the boundary of PAR line. As of now “Pabuk” is located east of Taiwan.
Dadivas said that the agency continues to monitor and once it enter the country it will be named “Paolo,” the 16th tropical cyclone to enter the country this year.
Due to southwest monsoon, she noted that Metro Manila, Central Luzon and Calabarzon will experience cloudy skies with moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms which may trigger flash floods and landslides.
She added that Mimaropa and Bicol Region will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms while Northern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.
In its advisory, PAGASA said that moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest will prevail throughout the entire archipelago and the coastal waters will be moderate to rough.
PAGASA also issued gale warning as strong to gale-force winds associated with the southwest monsoon enhanced by typhoon “Odette” might affect the seaboards of Northern and western Luzon.
“Fishing boats and other small sea crafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves,” it said.