Philippines weather: Monsoon brings rain and flood risks to Mindanao and Visayas

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has issued weather advisories for the Visayas and Mindanao regions due to the Southwest Monsoon, known locally as habagat.

In the Visayas, including Negros Oriental and Siquijor, unsettled skies and thunderstorms are expected. The habagat is driving moisture-saturated air toward the archipelago, causing rainshowers and thunderstorms despite the absence of a tropical cyclone or low-pressure area.

In Mindanao, widespread thunderstorms are forecast across the Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, SOCCSKSARGEN, Caraga, and the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). PAGASA warned residents to remain alert for potential flash floods and landslides, particularly in low-lying areas and near landslide-prone slopes. While thunderstorms are expected, daytime temperatures in several areas, such as Surigao del Sur and Maguindanao, may still reach up to 36°C.