Monsoon rain to continue in parts of Luzon on June 17

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MANILA, Philippines – The southwest monsoon will continue to affect the western part of Luzon on Sunday, June 17, as it continues to be enhanced by Tropical Storm Gaemi (formerly Tropical Depression Ester), which had left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday evening, June 15.

In a bulletin issued 4 pm on Saturday, June 16, state weather bureau PAGASA warned Pangasinan, Bataan, and Zambales to brace for moderate to heavy rain on Sunday. Residents of these provinces should watch out for floods and landslides.

There will also be light to moderate rain in Metro Manila, the rest of the Ilocos Region, the Cordillera Administrative Region, Batanes, the Babuyan Group of Islands, and the rest of Central Luzon. Floods are possible in low-lying areas.

The rest of the country, not affected by the southwest monsoon, will only have isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms with “no significant impact.” (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

Gaemi – that’s Ester’s international name – was last spotted 1,030 kilometers northeast of Basco, Batanes, moving east northeast outside PAR at 35 kilometers per hour (km/h). It has maximum winds of 85 km/h and gustiness of up to 105 km/h.

In a Facebook Live video late Saturday afternoon, PAGASA weather specialist Samuel Duran said they are also monitoring two shallow low pressure areas (LPAs). One is off Mindanao, while the other is off Northern Luzon.

Duran said further updates would be given on these two potential weather disturbances if they do enter PAR.

Ester had been the 5th tropical cyclone in the Philippines for 2018. The country gets an average of 20 tropical cyclones a year. (READ: LIST: PAGASA’s names for tropical cyclones in 2018)

PAGASA had declared the start of the rainy season last June 8. – Rappler.com