Tropical Cyclone Noul Weakens, But Monsoon Rains May Still Batter Luzon

Tropical Cyclone Noul, locally known as Kiyapo, which caused widespread flooding in Mindanao, has weakened into a low pressure area, but the southwest monsoon is still expected to bring thunderstorms over Luzon, according to the state weather bureau on Monday. The remnants of Noul were last located 1,135 kilometers northwest of Extreme Northern Luzon, outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 10:00 a.m. tropical cyclone formation outlook. “(It) is unlikely to redevelop into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours,” PAGASA said. While no tropical cyclone is within PAR, the southwest monsoon is still expected to bring scattered rains and thunderstorms across Luzon within the next 24 hours, PAGASA said in its 4:00 a.m. weather forecast. Affected areas include Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), MIMAROPA, Zambales, Bataan, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Batangas. PAGASA warned of the possibility of flash floods and landslides due to moderate to occasionally heavy rains. The rest of Luzon is expected to experience isolated rain showers and thunderstorms due to the southwest monsoon, with the possibility of flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms. Localized thunderstorms are expected to affect the rest of the country, PAGASA said. — Edg Adrian A. Eva