‘Rainy in Luzon until next week’

MANILA, Philippines — The southwest monsoon will continue to bring rains in parts of Luzon until next week even as the state weather bureau is monitoring a potential low-pressure area east of the country.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said cloudy skies with light to moderate rains would persist particularly in the Ilocos region, Zambales, Bataan and Palawan this weekend. 

Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains and thunderstorms. 

PAGASA said “a broad area of cloud clusters” was observed east of the country and was forecast to develop into a low-pressure area later this week.

“It is expected to continue moving northeastward... while the southwest winds will continue to persist over Luzon,” PAGASA said.

However, the weather bureau said it could not say if the low-pressure area would intensify into a tropical cyclone.

PAGASA said monsoon rains are expected to persist and affect most of the western section of Luzon.

Extreme Northern Luzon and parts of Western Luzon will continue to be cloudy with light to occasionally moderate rains with scattered thunderstorms.

The Bicol region and the Visayas will be cloudy with scattered rains and thunderstorms.