PAGASA: Habagat to bring cloudy skies, rains over Luzon; monitoring 2 tropical cyclones, LPA outside PAR

The Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) will bring cloudy skies with scattered rains over Luzon on Tuesday, PAGASA reported.

As of 2 a.m., two tropical cyclones and a Low Pressure Area (LPA) outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) are being monitored by the state weather bureau.

Typhoon Saudel (formerly Obet) exited the Philippine Area of Responsibility at 9:30 p.m. Monday, DOST-PAGASA weather specialist Veronica Torres said during the weather agency's 5 a.m. public weather forecast.

At 3 a.m., Saudel was monitored at 1,180 kilometers east northeast of extreme Northern Luzon packing maximum sustained winds of 150 kilometers per hour near the center, gustiness of up to 185 kilometers per hour. The typhoon is moving west northwestward at the speed of 25 km/h.

"Sa pagkilos nito sa ating hilaga ay posibleng makahatak pa ito ng Southwest Monsoon o Habagat," Torres said.

Tropical Depression Atsani, which is weakening into a Tropical Depression, was located at 3 a.m. at 1,760 km east of Northern Luzon, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 70 km/h, and moving northward at 30 km/h.

"Hindi natin tinatanggal ang possibility ng pagpasok nito sa Philippine Area of Responsibility," Torres said.

Tropical Depression Gaenari (formerly Neneng) has weakened into an LPA identified as LPA 08f and is unlikely to redevelop into a Tropical Depression within the next 24 hours.

At 3 a.m., LPA 08f was located at 670 km northwest of Itbayat, Batanes.

Forecast weather conditions

The Southwest Monsoon continues to affect Luzon. Many areas will experience cloudy skies with scattered rains, according to Torres.

Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Cavite, Batangas, and Rizal will have cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms due to the Southwest Monsoon and flash floods or landslides my occur due to moderate to at times heavy rains.

"Posible ang higher chance or mas malakas na mga pag-ulan sa kanlurang bahagi ng Central at Northern Luzon," Torres said.

PAGASA said 50-100 mm of rainfall may be expected over La Union, Benguet, and Pangasinan today.

The rest of Luzon will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to the Southwest Monsoon with the possibility that flash floods or landslides may occur during severe thunderstorms.

"Sa mga susunod na araw, asahan natin na patuloy pa rin epekto ng Southwest Monsoon sa malaking bahagi ng Luzon and by around August 29 ay posibleng mas humina na 'yung epekto ng Habagat sa ating bansa," Torres said.

"Pero since 3-5 days pa 'yan, may posibilidad pa rin itong magbago kaya patuloy tayong mag-antabay sa mga ilalabas na update ng PAGASA," she added.

The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to localized thunderstorms. Flash floods or landslides may occur during severe thunderstorms.

Forecast wind and coastal water conditions

No gale warning was raised by PAGASA today.

The wind speed forecast for Luzon is moderate to strong and moving southwestward while coastal waters will be moderate to rough.

The rest of the country will experience light to moderate wind speed moving in the south to southwest direction with slight to moderate coastal waters.

Sunrise will be at 5:43 a.m., sunset at 6:13 p.m. — BAP/KG, GMA News