No storms this week, says Pagasa

MANILA, Philippines - The country will experience no new tropical storms this week but the southwest monsoon will continue to bring rains over most parts of Luzon, the state weather bureau said yesterday.

Nathaniel Servando, administrator of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said an improved weather condition is expected in Metro Manila within the week.

But the southwest monsoon will bring rains over the western sections of Northern and Central Luzon until tomorrow. The rest of Luzon and Mindanao will have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms.

According to Servando, the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) will affect the Visayas and Mindanao from Wednesday to Sunday.

“Cloudy skies with widespread rains will prevail over Central and Eastern Mindanao which may trigger flashfloods and landslides,” he said.

Visayas will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, he said.

The weather bureau said at least two to three tropical cyclones are likely to enter the Philippine area of responsibility this month.

A total of 12 cyclones have so far entered the country this year.