Southwest Monsoon to bring rains

The Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) will prevail and bring rains on Sunday over the country, PAGASA said in its weather forecast.

Palawan will have occasional rains due to the monsoon. Flash floods or landslides may result due to moderate to heavy rains.

Western Visayas, Negros Island Region, Zamboanga Peninsula, BARMM, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, and the rest of MIMAROPA may expect cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms due to the Southwest Monsoon. Moderate to at times heavy rains may possibly result in flash floods or landslides.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country on the other hand will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to the Habagat. During severe thunderstorms, flash floods or landslides may occur.

Coastal waters will be moderate in Extreme Northern Luzon, and slight to moderate in the rest of the country.

Sunrise was at 5:34 a.m. while sunset will be at 6:30 p.m.

The weather bureau said the Southwest Monsoon will be stronger later this week.

"This week, lalo na bandang araw ng Huwebes or Biyernes, muling lalakas itong Habagat kaya posibleng maapektuhan na naman ang malaking bahagi ng bansa lalo na sa may western section ng Luzon at Visayas," DOST-PAGASA weather specialist Obet Badrina said in the weather bureau's forecast.

(This week, especially on Thursday or Friday, the Southwest Monsoon will become stronger. A big part of the country may possibly be affected, especially the western section of Luzon and Visayas.)

PAGASA is also monitoring a tropical storm named Nari which is outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility.

At 3 a.m. on Sunday, Nari was located at 2,165 km east northeast of Extreme Northern Luzon, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h near the center and with gustiness of up to 80 km/h.

Tropical Storm Nari is moving east northeastward at 15 km/h.

"Walang magiging direktang epekto itong bagyong si Nari sa ating bansa at ito nga ay patungo na sa bandang Japan," Badrina said.

(Tropical Storm Nari will not have a direct effect on our country. It is heading toward Japan.)

Nari may make landfall over Japan on Tuesday or Wednesday, he added. —KG, GMA Integrated News