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MANILA, Philippines – A tropical storm located outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) is enhancing the southwest monsoon or hanging habagat, which is causing heavy rain in the western part of Luzon.

In a Facebook Live video past 5:30 am on Friday, August 2, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Tropical Storm Wipha already made landfall in the southern part of China, but it continues to enhance the southwest monsoon.

Below is the rainfall being experienced on Friday from the southwest monsoon:

Light to heavy monsoon rain

• Pangasinan
• Zambales
• Bataan

Scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms (thunderstorms may be severe at times)

• Metro Manila
• Calabarzon
• Mimaropa
• Cordillera Administrative Region
• the rest of the Ilocos Region
• the rest of Central Luzon

Due to the heavy rain, classes were suspended in some areas for Friday. (READ: #WalangPasok: Class suspensions, Friday, August 2, 2019)

PAGASA also warned that flash floods and landslides are possible.

Meanwhile, the trough or extension of a low pressure area (LPA) inside PAR is still affecting parts of the country.

The LPA is now 915 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes. Its trough is bringing scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms to:

• Bicol
• Visayas
• Caraga
• Northern Mindanao

PAGASA Weather Specialist Gener Quitlong said the LPA, so far, is not expected to approach land. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

The rest of the country, not affected by the trough of the LPA or the southwest monsoon, will have generally fair weather with only localized thunderstorms.

So far, the Philippines has had 7 tropical cyclones in 2019. (READ: LIST: PAGASA’s names for tropical cyclones in 2019)

The country gets an average of 20 tropical cyclones annually, but since 2019 is an El Niño year, only 14 to 18 tropical cyclones are expected.

Below is the estimated number of tropical cyclones from August to December:

• August – 2 to 4
• September – 2 to 4
• October – 2 or 3
• November – 1 or 2
• December – 0 or 1

PAGASA declared the start of the rainy season last June 14. – Rappler.com