Pagasa: Rainy Saturday nationwide due to ‘habagat, tropical depressions

MANILA, Philippines — It is going to be a rainy Saturday in Luzon and some parts of Visayas and Mindanao due to the southwest monsoon or “habagat”, the state weather bureau said.

Pagasa is also monitoring a weather disturbance currently inside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR)  Tropical Depression Dindo.

In its 4 a.m. live weather update, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that the “habagat” is being enhanced by a tropical depression outside the PAR.

The “habagat” will bring occasional rains over Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon, Western and Central Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region.

The rest of the country, meanwhile, will have cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms also due to the southwest monsoon.

“So ito pong dalawang bagyo, isa si Dindo at yung isang bagyo na nasa labas ng ating PAR ay humahatak po ng habagat na na nagdadala po ng mga pag-ulan ng halos sa buong bansa,” weather specialist Samuel Duran explained in the live update.

(So these two storms, one is Dindo and the other is outside of the PAR enhances the southwest monsoon that brings rains to almost the whole country.)

“Mas nahahatak ng bagyo na nasa labas ng ating PAR itong habagat kaya kung mapapansin po natin, yung mga pag-ulan ay nasa western side ng Luzon at ng Visayas,” he added.

(The other storm that is outside the PAR further enhances the habagat, that’s why rains are expected over the western side of Luzon and Visayas.)

“Dindo” was last spotted at 800 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

The tropical depression also packed maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 55 kph.

“Dindo” was also monitored moving north-northwest at 15 kph.

Pagasa said that “Dindo” is expected to exit the PAR between Aug. 3-4, and is not expected to make landfall.