PAGASA: Ondoy, Carina-enhanced Habagat brought more rain in 24 hours

The Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) brought heavy rains to Metro Manila, causing flooding and traffic jams even before the two low pressure areas outside Luzon developed into tropical cyclones Dante and Emong this week.

But how does it compare to the rainfall dumped by Tropical Storm Ondoy in September 2009 and Super Typhoon Carina-enhanced Habagat in July 2024?

PAGASA Science Garden in Quezon City recorded 285.8 millimeters (mm) of rain from the Habagat on July 21 and 62.3 mm on July 22, 2025.

Speaking to GMA News Online, PAGASA weather specialist Munir Baldomero said 285.8 millimeters of rain is considered moderate to heavy.

“Based sa pagka-categorize, yung 285.8 (mm), pag i-consider natin yung one day, is under moderate to heavy pa rin na ulan,” Baldomero said Wednesday.

“Nasa category po siya kasi moderate to heavy. So, possible pa rin po yung pag ganitong heavy, is pasok na rin po siya kasi sa yellow warning, so flooding pa rin is possible po,” he added.

(Based on the categorization, the 285.8 mm, if we consider it in one day, still falls under moderate to heavy rain. Since it’s in the moderate to heavy category, it’s still possible to issue a yellow warning, so flooding is still possible.)

Under a yellow rainfall warning, residents are warned about possible flooding in low-lying areas and near river channels.

Baldomero explained that on July 21, the Habagat was observed on the eastern side of Luzon, causing it to affect the weather conditions in Metro Manila.

“Dahil po yung presence ng Habagat sa eastern side ng Luzon. Siya po yung nagpa-iral sa Habagat kaya naka-receive po yung Metro Manila, particularly yung northern part ng Metro Manila, ng ganung amount ng ulan,” Baldomero said.

(The presence of the Habagat on the eastern side of Luzon caused this amount of rain in Metro Manila, particularly in the northern part of Metro Manila.)

However, the Habagat this week dropped less rain in 24 hours than Ondoy and Carina.

Baldomero said that the Carina-enhanced Habagat dumped 323.9 mm of rain in 24 hours or from July 24 to 25, 2024.

“Medyo mas mababa po. Kung 24 hours na paulan yung pag-uusapan, medyo mababa po siya (Habagat) ng ilang mm as compared doon kay Carina po,” Baldomero said.

(It’s somewhat lower. The Habagat produced a few millimeters less rainfall than Carina at this time of year if we're talking about rainfall over a 24-hour period.)

Meanwhile, Ondoy released 455 mm of rain in 24 hours on September 26, 2009.

However, Baldomero said that the rains dumped so far in July in Science Garden exceeded the climatological normal, or monthly average rainfall, of 516.6 mm.

Science Garden received 1,005.6 mm of rain between July 1 and July 22.

Metro Manila will continue to receive rain in the coming days due to the Southwest Monsoon enhanced by Emong and Dante, according to PAGASA. —VBL, GMA Integrated News