No more LPAs inside PAR, but southwest monsoon still causing rain

MANILA, Philippines – There are no more low pressure areas (LPAs) inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), but the southwest monsoon or habagat continues to affect Southern Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao on Sunday, September 24.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the first LPA it had been monitoring already dissipated east of the country at 10 pm on Saturday, September 23.

The second LPA left PAR at 2 am on Sunday. It was last spotted 600 kilometers west of Iba, Zambales, as of 3 am.

The trough or extension of the second LPA, however, may still cause scattered rain showers and thunderstorms in parts of Luzon.

Similar conditions will also persist in much of Luzon and the Visayas due to the southwest monsoon.

PAGASA warned that flash floods and landslides remain possible. On Saturday, flash floods had hit parts of Metro Manila.

Mindanao will have generally fair weather, with just isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

The Philippines’ last tropical cyclone was Tropical Depression Ineng in early September. There could be one to two more tropical cyclones during the month, based on PAGASA’s previous estimates. – Rappler.com