ITCZ, localized thunderstorms to bring isolated rain showers

Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms on Sunday due to an Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affecting Mindanao and Palawan and localized thunderstorms, PAGASA said in its weather forecast.

Flash floods or landslides may result due to severe thunderstorms.

Coastal waters will be slight to moderate throughout the country.

PAGASA is also monitoring Tropical Storm Mawar located outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

Mawar was estimated to be located at 2,520 km east of Northeastern Mindanao as of 3 a.m. Sunday.

It has maximum sustained winds of 85 km/h and gustiness up to 105 km/h.

Mawar is moving north northwestward at 10 km/h.

PAGASA said Mawar may enter PAR on Friday or Saturday. Once it enters PAR, it will be renamed Betty.

"Hindi inaalis ang possibility na maging malakas ito. Maaaring [maging] typhoon o super typhoon ito pagpasok ng PAR," PAGASA weather specialist Beni Estareja said in an interview on Super Radyo dzBB.

(We are not discounting the possibility that it will be strong. It can be a typhoon or super typhoon when it enters PAR.)

As for the possibility of landfall, Mawar has a low chance of making landfall, Estareja said.

"Lalapit siya sa Extreme Northern Luzon... Hindi natin inaalis ang posibilidad na mag-eenhance ito ng Habagat," he added.

([Mawar] will go near Extreme Northern Luzon. We are not discounting the possibility that it may enhance the Habagat [southwest monsoon].)

Estareja said rains may be expected in the next few weeks especially in the western side of the country.

Sunrise was at 5:27 a.m. while sunset will be at 6:18 p.m. —KG, GMA Integrated News