By Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz
Parts of Luzon have received nearly a month’s worth of normal rainfall in just nine days due to the passage of tropical cyclones and the enhancement of the southwest monsoon (habagat), the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Monday, Aug. 10.
PAGASA Administrator Dr. Nathaniel Servando said heavy rains over the past week were brought by Tropical Depression Luis, Tropical Storm Maymay, and the enhanced habagat.
Typhoon Dolphin also contributed to the persistence of the rains despite remaining outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
“The past week nakakaranas tayo ng malakas na mga pag-ulan. Dulot ito ng Bagyong Luis at Maymay at pinag-ibayong habagat. Maging ang Bagyong Dolphin na kahit na malayo sa labas ng Philippine Area of Responsibility ay naka-impluwensiya upang ma-sustain ang mga pag-ulan hanggang sa araw na ito,” the PAGASA chief said.
Servando said PAGASA rainfall data showed that western parts of the country, particularly Luzon, had received significant amounts of rain since the start of August.
In Benguet, rainfall from Aug. 1 to 9 reached 1,413 millimeters, compared with the station’s normal August rainfall of 963 millimeters.
“So halos isa’t kalahating buwang ulan ang binuhos sa siyam na araw lamang,” Servando said.
Zambales also recorded nearly a month’s worth of its normal August rainfall during the same period.
PAGASA’s monitoring station in Iba, Zambales recorded 957 millimeters of rain from Aug. 1 to 9, compared with the normal August rainfall of 929 millimeters, or about 103 percent of the monthly normal.
Servando said even Metro Manila received a substantial portion of its normal August rainfall in just nine days, as the PAGASA Science Garden station in Quezon City recorded 501.6 millimeters of rain from Aug. 1 to 9, compared with the normal August rainfall of 568 millimeters.
“So almost 90 percent, nearly isang buwan ding ulan ang binuhos dito sa Quezon City in Metro Manila,” he added.
Servando said the weather is expected to gradually improve starting Tuesday, Aug. 11.
“We expect starting tomorrow ang mga pag-ulan at lugar na maaapektuhan ng malakas na pag-ulan ay mabawasan at gradually mag-iimprove na ang ating weather starting tomorrow until Wednesday,” he said.
