More rains expected over Luzon

MANILA, Philippines — Rains will continue over Northern Luzon in the next few days, largely due to a low-pressure area that is expected to develop into a tropical depression.

As of 10 a.m. yesterday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the low-pressure area was located in the vicinity of Basco, Batanes. It added that the weather system is expected to develop into a tropical depression within the next 24 to 48 hours and would be named Neneng once it intensifies into a tropical cyclone.

The weather bureau also warned of flooding and landslides as it said that moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms will persist over Batanes and the Babuyan Group of Islands.

Scattered light to moderate rains will also prevail over Cagayan, Apayao, Abra and Kalinga provinces as well as the Ilocos region.  

In Metro Manila and the regions of Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan) and Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon), scattered rains and thunderstorms brought by the southwest monsoon and enhanced by the low-pressure area are expected.

The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers due to thunderstorms. 

PAGASA said the other low-pressure area that was spotted earlier west of Luzon has dissipated.

Two more tropical cyclones are predicted to enter the Philippine area of responsibility this month.

Typhoon Maymay (international name Jebi) visited the Philippines last week but did not hit landmass. The typhoon’s trough or extension, however, brought scattered rains over some parts of the country. Jebi battered several areas in Japan, causing widespread flooding.