Enhanced habagat bringing rains over parts of Luzon, Visayas

MANILA, Philippines — The southwest monsoon will continue to dump rains over parts of Luzon and Visayas as the low pressure area—once called Tropical Depression Marilyn—threatened to return to the Philippine Area of Responsibility.

Weather forecasters said the shallow low pressure west of Zambales and the tropical storm (Peipah) outside PAR are boosting the southwest monsoon, which is affecting Central and Southern Luzon as well as Western Visayas.

The shallow LPA was last located 410 kilometers west of Zambales. It is not forecast to develop into a tropical cyclone.

The tropical storm, meanwhile, was last seen 2,565 km east of Northern Luzon with maximum sustained winds of 65 km per hour and gusts of up to 90 kph. It is moving northwest at 30 kph but it is not seen to enter the country’s jurisdiction.

The southwest monsoon will bring cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms over Metro Manila, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, MIMAROPA and Western Visayas. There may be flash floods or landslides in these areas due to occasional heavy rains.

Inclement weather has prompted class suspensions in some areas.

Meanwhile, the rest of the country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers due to localized thunderstorms.

‘Marilyn’

PAGASA said the weather system formerly called “Marilyn” may re-enter the PAR and re-develop into a tropical cyclone within 48 hours.

“Marilyn” weakened into an LPA on Sunday and was last spotted 1,935 km northeast of Basco, Batanes. — Gaea Katreena Cabico