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A wind convergence may bring rain that can trigger flash floods and landslides in parts of Mindanao Monday, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration warned.

 

PAGASA forecaster Elvie Enriquez said residents of Mindanao in flood- and landslide-prone areas should take precautionary measures especially in the afternoon and before dawn.

 

"Kalimitan sa mga wind convergence, mga hapon o madaling araw ito. Malakas kaya pinag-iingat natin ang nakatira sa flash flood- at landslide-prone, malapit sa creek, ilog at sa paanan ng bundok," she said in an interview on dzBB radio.

 

She added this is despite the absence of a cyclone in or near Philippine territory at this time.

 

Enriquez pointed out that La Niña, a weather phenomenon characterized by heavy rain, is likely to affect the country until the first quarter of 2012.

 

"Maski wala tayong weather disturbance, ang system lang ay sapat na magbigay ng malakas na buhos ng ulan. Lalo ngayon, isaalang-alang natin na may La Niña hanggang first quarter ng 2012," she said.

 

In Metro Manila, Enriquez said the weather may be partly cloudy to cloudy, with temperatures ranging from 21 to 30 degrees Celsius.

 

PAGASA’s 5 a.m. forecast indicated a diffused tail-end of a cold front is affecting Southern Luzon while a wind convergence—a meeting of winds from different directions—is affecting Mindanao.

 

"Southern Luzon, Eastern Visayas and Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over the western and southern section of Mindanao which may trigger flash floods and landslides," it said.

 

Skies over the rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated light rains, while the rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

 

Meanwhile, winds blowing from the northeast and east prevailing over Southern Luzon, and coming from the northeast over the rest of Luzon will be moderate to occasionally strong.

 

These will make coastal waters along these areas moderate to occasionally rough.

 

Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the east to northeast, making seas slight to moderate. –KG, GMA News