Weekend low-pressure area may replenish Angat

MANILA, Philippines — A low-pressure area over the Pacific Ocean is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility tomorrow that could dump rains over Angat dam, which has fallen below critical level for the second time this rainy season.

As of yesterday noon, the weather system was spotted at 1,930 kilometers east of Mindanao, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported.

The trough or extension of the low-pressure area will continue to bring cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms over Mindanao and Eastern and Central Visayas today and over the entire Visayas tomorrow.

This weekend, Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains and thunderstorms.

By Monday, the weather system will start enhancing the southwest monsoon as it moves north-northwest toward Taiwan, bringing rains over southern Luzon and the  Visayas. Cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms will prevail over Calabarzon, Mimaropa, the Bicol region and the Visayas.

By Tuesday and Wednesday, it is likely to develop into a tropical cyclone but it is not expected to make landfall in any part of the country. The weather disturbance was forecast to maintain its track toward Taiwan, the weather bureau said.

Rains will persist over Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol and the Visayas from Tuesday to Wednesday. Northern Luzon will be cloudy with scattered rains and thunderstorms.

Mindanao, meanwhile, will have generally fair weather apart from isolated rains and thunderstorms.

By Thursday and Friday, the low-pressure area is projected to be over northern Taiwan but it will continue to strengthen the southwest monsoon. Monsoon rains will prevail over the Ilocos region, Mindoro provinces, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Central Luzon and Bicol. Western Visayas and the rest of Luzon will be cloudy with scattered rains and thunderstorms. The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains and thunderstorms.

As of 6 a.m. yesterday, the water level at Angat dam – which is located in Norzagaray, Bulacan – was 159.69 meters, still below its critical level of 160 meters.

Angat supplies about 97 percent of Metro Manila’s water needs.

PAGASA hydrologist Richard Orendain earlier said Angat normally “recovers” in mid-July, citing the agency’s 10-year data. 

The National Water Resources Board has reduced water allocation in Metro Manila and nearby areas to 36 cubic meters per second, from 46 CMS, as the dam reached critical level.

The dam’s normal operating level is 180 meters, while its normal high water level is 210 meters.