PAGASA: More rains expected until weekend

MANILA, Philippines - A day after heavy rains triggered floods in Metro Manila, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned that more rains brought by an enhanced southwest monsoon are expected until this weekend.

 

PAGASA weather forecaster Alvin Pura said Metro Manila will have partly cloudy skies on Tuesday morning and mostly cloudy skies in the afternoon with a high chance of rain showers and thunderstorms until evening.

 

More rains are also expected until Friday since Tropical Depression Emong will enhance the southwest monsoon as it moves north in the next three days.

 

"It (enhanced southwest monsoon) will bring rains mostly in the western section of our country, including Metro Manila," Pura said in a television interview on Tuesday morning.

 

Pura said improving weather can be expected starting Sunday.

 

Based on PAGASA's latest bulletin at 4 a.m. today, the center of Tropical Depression Emong was spotted at 460 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center.

 

It is projected to move north northwest at 15 kph.

 

The agency earlier warned that Emong is still far to directly affect any part of the country but it will enhance the southwest monsoon which will bring moderate to occasionally heavy rains and thunderstorms over Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

 

Pura also warned that they are expecting another low pressure area (LPA) to form in the western part of the country on Thursday.

 

On Monday evening, strong rains triggered floods in Metro Manila, causing traffic jams in various roads and thoroughfares.