Rains to continue over Northern Luzon

MANILA, Philippines — The southwest monsoon enhanced by two tropical storms outside the Philippine area of responsibility would bring rains over Northern Luzon, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said yesterday.

Tropical Storms Lupit and Mirinae were slightly enhancing the southwest monsoon, the weather bureau said.

Storm Lupit briefly entered the Philippine area of responsibility yesterday morning but exited in the afternoon. As of 4 p.m., it was monitored at 585 kilometers north of Itbayat, Batanes.

It was carrying maximum winds of 65 kilometers per hour and gustiness of 80 kph. It was moving at 40 kph toward Japan.

PAGASA was also monitoring a low-pressure area at 1,485 km east of Mindanao.

The low-pressure area may enter the Philippine area of responsibility tomorrow and develop into a tropical depression, which will be named Isang. It will move generally north-westward toward Northern Luzon but will not likely make landfall, PAGASA said.

Scattered rains are expected over Ilocos Region, Benguet, Abra, Batanes and Babuyan Islands, also due to the southwest monsoon.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of the country will see cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms due to the southwest monsoon and localized thunderstorms.

PAGASA said flash floods and landslides would be possible during heavy rainfall.