Warm and humid weather will continue to affect most of Luzon and the Visayas, while Mindanao is expected to experience persistent rain showers in the coming days, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Monday, May 19. PAGASA weather specialist Daniel James Villamil said scattered rain showers and thunderstorms will continue to affect Mindanao, Palawan, and parts of the Visayas due to the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). The ITCZ, where winds from the northern and southern hemispheres converge, can bring moderate to heavy rainfall, which may lead to flash floods or landslides in vulnerable areas. Villamil advised residents in areas that have experienced several days of rainfall to remain vigilant and take precautions against these hazards. He noted that conditions in areas affected by the ITCZ may gradually improve by Friday, May 23. Meanwhile, the rest of Luzon and Visayas may continue to experience generally hot weather, with chances of isolated rain showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon or evening brought by the easterlies, or warm winds from the Pacific Ocean. Thunderstorms during this time of the year usually last between 30 minutes and an hour, but can occasionally extend up to two hours. These become more frequent as the country transitions from the warm and dry season to the wet or rainy season. PAGASA said the rainy season associated with the southwest monsoon or “habagat” usually begins between the second half of May and the first half of June.
