PAGASA: Expect thunderstorms, La Niña rains

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) advised the public to brace for rainshowers and thunderstorms on Friday and more "La Niña" rains by August. PAGASA said rains are expected on Friday due to an Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) affecting Southern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. "The whole country will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms," PAGASA said in its 5 a.m. bulletin. According to PAGASA's 24-hour public weather forecast, moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest will prevail over northern Luzon and the coastal waters along this area will be moderate to rough. Moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest will prevail over northern Luzon. Coastal waters in this area will be moderate to rough. Light to moderate winds blowing from the southeast to south will prevail over the rest of Luzon. From the southeast and northeast, light to moderate winds will prevail over the rest of the country with slight to moderate seas. La Niña rains Earlier, dzBB radio quoted PAGASA Hydrometeorology Division Chief Dr. Susan Espinueva as saying the country will likely experience "above normal rainfall condition" starting August because the La Niña weather phenomenon is almost fully developed. She said majority of the global weather models are now predicting an 80 percent chance that La Niña conditions could occur starting in August. Heavy rains boost Angat Dam's water level Heavy rains late Thursday boosted water levels at Angat Dam by nearly one meter Friday, even as authorities advised the public to brace for rains from La Niña starting August. PAGASA said that as of 6 a.m. Friday, the water level at Angat Dam was at 163.72 meters. In its 6 a.m. dam monitoring report, PAGASA said this was 0.95 meter higher than the water level at Angat Thursday which was at 162.77 meters. However, this is still more than 15 meters below the "normal" level of 180 meters. — VVP, GMANews.TV