PAGASA: Monsoon weakening, but thunderstorms likely during weekend

With the southwest monsoon weakening as tropical cyclone with international codename "Talas" moves further away from the Philippines, state weather forecasters predicted improving weather for the weekend. But the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned isolated thunderstorms may still occur over Metro Manila and other parts of the country. "Apektado pa rin tayo ng southwest monsoon although humihina na ito dahil lumalayo sa Pilipinas si Talas at papalapit ito sa Japan, inaasahan nating magkakaroon ng gradual improvement ang panahon," PAGASA forecaster Sonny Pajarilla said in an interview on dzBB radio. He said there will still be thunderstorms during the weekend but these will be "isolated." Earlier, PAGASA said flash floods and landslides continue to threaten parts of Northern and Central Luzon. "Luzon and the western section of Visayas will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over the western sections of Central and Southern Luzon except the Island of Palawan which may trigger flashfloods and landslides," it said in its 5 a.m. bulletin. It said Mindanao and the rest of Visayas will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening. — LBG, GMA News