MANILA, Philippines – The trough or extension of a low pressure area (LPA) inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and the southwest monsoon or habagat are both bringing rain on Wednesday, September 13.

The LPA was located 610 kilometers east of Itbayat, Batanes, as of early Wednesday.

It still has just a slim chance of developing into a tropical cyclone, but its trough is affecting the eastern portions of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to the LPA’s trough are expected in the following areas:

• Bicol
• Aurora
• Quezon

Similar conditions will persist mainly in the western portions of Southern Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao, but caused by the southwest monsoon. In particular, these areas are affected:

• Metro Manila
• Mimaropa
• rest of Central Luzon
• rest of Calabarzon
• La Union
• Pangasinan
• Benguet
• Visayas
• Zamboanga Peninsula
• Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao
• Soccsksargen

PAGASA warned that rain from the LPA’s trough and the southwest monsoon may be moderate to heavy at times. Flash floods and landslides are possible.

The rest of the Philippines will only have isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.

PAGASA also said on Wednesday that the threat of a tropical cyclone is unlikely in the next two weeks, based on current prediction models. But it added that any changes will be closely monitored.

So far, nine tropical cyclones have formed within or entered PAR in 2023. – Rappler.com