September opens with 3 weather systems, flood warnings nationwide

MANILA, Philippines, September 1 ------ Three weather systems are expected to drench the country and potentially cause flooding today according to state weather bureau PAGASA. In its 4 a.m. public weather forecast, PAGASA reported that a low-pressure area spotted 570 kilometers east northeast of Virac, Catanduanes, will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Bicol Region, Aurora, Bulacan, Quezon and Rizal.

Metro Manila, Visayas, Mimaropa, the rest of Central Luzon and Calabarzon will also experience cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms due to the southwest monsoon. PAGASA warned that moderate to heavy rainfall may easily cause flash floods and landslides in these areas. The southwest monsoon will also bring partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains or thunderstorms over Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao and Caraga, while the rest of the country will have localized thunderstorms.

Flash floods and landslides may likely occur in these areas during severe thunderstorms, the state weather bureau said. Meanwhile, moderate winds from the southwest to west will prevail over Mindanao and the western section of Visayas, with coastal waters expected to reach heights of around 1.2 to 1.8 meters.

The western section of Luzon will also experience moderate winds blowing from the southwest to southeast, with coastal waters within the same height range. Light to moderate winds from the northwest to southwest will affect the eastern section of Southern Luzon and the rest of Visayas, bringing slight to moderate seas at 0.6 to 1.5 meters.

The rest of Luzon will have light to moderate winds from the northeast to east, also with slight to moderate seas of 0.6 to 1.5 meters. PAGASA has only raised a heavy rainfall warning of 50 to 100 millimeters in Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, and Antique due to the combined effects of the low-pressure area and southwest monsoon. Around two to four tropical cyclones are forecast to pass through the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) in September. The low-pressure area being monitored has a low chance of developing into a tropical depression.

Source: philstar.com