May bagyo ba? Monday downpour not due to typhoon or rainy season

Monday afternoon's thunderstorm marked neither an upcoming cyclone nor the start of the rainy season, according to a state weather forecaster, who said such sudden heavy downpour is common during the month of June.

"Sa buwan ng Hunyo talagang mas malimit na po 'yung pagkakaroon natin ng thunderstorms... Isa sa mga senyales [na malapit na ang rainy season], at hinihintay natin 'yung mga criteria to declare [the] rainy season," PAGASA forecaster Fernando Cada said in an interview on Balita Pilipinas.

Criteria for the declaration of rainy season include a total rainfall amount of 25 millimeters or more with three consecutive days having at least 1 mm of rainfall per day.

In its 3:55 p.m. advisory on Monday, PAGASA said the thunderstorm that affected Metro Manila and nearby provinces included:

* Cavite,
* Bulacan (Doña Remedios, Norzagaray, San Jose del Monte),
* Rizal (Rodriguez, Cainta, Antipolo),
* Quezon (Padre Burgos, Gen. Nakar, Pagbilao), and
* a portion of Batangas.

It added that residents of Laguna, Bataan, and other areas of Bulacan, Rizal, and Quezon can expect thunderstorm in their areas within the next two hours.

In the Balita Pilipinas interview, Cada said while they do not have official data on the amount of rain from Monday afternoon's thunderstorm, estimates from their radar showed it brought in moderate to heavy rains.

The thunderstorm, which started rains at around 2 p.m., caused flooding in some areas. —Rose-An Jessica Dioquino/KBK, GMA News