Habagat to bring rains across Luzon, Visayas; 2 LPAs being monitored — PAGASA

Motorists and commuters brave the knee-deep flood along Timog Avenue in Quezon City on Aug. 17, 2026 due to relentless rain brought by the southwest monsoon.

The Philippine STAR / Miguel de Guzman

MANILA, Philippines — The southwest monsoon, locally known as habagat, is expected to bring rains across Luzon and Visayas, the state weather bureau PAGASA said. 

In its weather forecast on Tuesday, August 18, PAGASA said that Metro Manila, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Laguna, Rizal, Oriental Mindoro and Antique may expect occasional rains due to the habagat.

The habagat may also bring monsoon rains to Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas and Occidental Mindoro. 

The same weather system may also bring cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms to the Negros Island Region, the rest of Luzon and the rest of Western Visayas.

PAGASA warned residents of these areas of possible flash floods or landslides due to heavy rains.

Meanwhile, Mindanao may also expect partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to localized thunderstorms.

Heavy rainfall outlook

Heavy rainfall driven by the southwest monsoon will continue to batter broad swathes of Luzon and parts of Visayas through Thursday, August 20, according to PAGASA.

The state weather bureau cautioned that precipitation levels could be significantly higher in elevated and mountainous areas. 

The agency added that the risk of severe flooding and landslides is heightened in regions that have already experienced heavy rain in recent days.

Weather forecasters have placed several provinces under heightened rainfall advisories, categorizing expected accumulation levels:

Tuesday, August 18

• 100–200 mm (Heavy to Intense): Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas and Occidental Mindoro.
• 50–100 mm (Moderate to Heavy): Metro Manila, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Laguna, Rizal, Oriental Mindoro and Antique.

Wednesday, August 19

• 100–200 mm (Heavy to Intense): Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan and Occidental Mindoro.
• 50–100 mm (Moderate to Heavy): Ilocos Sur, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Oriental Mindoro.

Thursday, August 20

• 50–100 mm (Moderate to Heavy): Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Benguet, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, Pampanga and Occidental Mindoro.

LPAs outside PAR

Two low-pressure areas (LPA) are also monitored outside and inside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR), according to PAGASA. 

As of 2 a.m., PAGASA said that one LPA is estimated to be at 1,140 kilometers east of Northern Luzon, which has a “high chance” of developing into a tropical depression within the next 24 hours. 

Another LPA is estimated to be at 295 kilometers west-northwest of Laoag City, Ilocos Norte. According to PAGASA, the LPA has a “medium chance” of developing into a tropical depression.