MANILA, Philippines — The state weather bureau is monitoring a low pressure area (LPA) detected off Palawan outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), while the southwest monsoon continues to bring rains across western sections of Southern Luzon and the Visayas.
In a 5 p.m. public weather forecast, DOST-Pagasa (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) Weather Specialist Daniel James E. Villamil said the weather disturbance poses no immediate threat to the country.
"At present, we are monitoring a low pressure area outside our Philippine Area of Responsibility. It was last spotted this afternoon 50 kilometers southeast of Kalayaan Island in Palawan. So it is far from our country's landmass and has no effect on our archipelago," Villamil said in Filipino and English.
"The southwest monsoon or habagat continues to affect the western sections of Southern Luzon and Visayas. For the next three to five days, we expect high chances of cloudiness and rain in these areas," he added in Filipino and English.
Fair weather with partly cloudy to cloudy skies will persist over Metro Manila and most parts of the country, though localized thunderstorms remain likely in the late afternoon or evening.
"For Metro Manila and most of Luzon, we expect generally fair weather to continue. Partly cloudy to cloudy skies on Sunday, but come late afternoon or evening, there is still a chance of sudden and brief rain showers caused by localized thunderstorms," Villamil said in Filipino and English.
While rainy conditions will persist over Palawan, weather conditions across the western sections of the Visayas are expected to improve temporarily before monsoon rains return early next week.
"For Visayas, due to the effect of the southwest monsoon, particularly in Western Visayas, from Monday until Tuesday, we will again experience cloudy skies with scattered rain showers, thunder, and lightning," he said in Filipino.
In Mindanao, fair weather is expected to prevail through midweek as the monsoon fails to reach the southern region.
"Over parts of Mindanao, in the cities of Metro Davao, Cagayan de Oro, and Zamboanga, from Monday to Wednesday, the southwest monsoon will not reach these areas, so generally fair weather will continue. We do not expect sustained or continuous rains, but let us still bring umbrellas because localized thunderstorms are possible in the afternoon or evening," Villamil said in Filipino and English.
No gale warnings are currently raised over any of the country's seaboards, with slight to moderate sea conditions expected nationwide. However, mariners are advised to remain cautious during offshore thunderstorm activities, which may cause sudden wind gusts and slight wave surges.
