Thunderstorm advisory up over Metro Manila, 7 provinces

Metro Manila and seven nearby provinces are expected to experience moderate to heavy rainshowers on Monday afternoon.

In an advisory issued at 12:45 p.m., PAGASA said moderate to heavy rainshowers with lightning and strong winds are expected over Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Metro Manila, Rizal, Batangas, Laguna and Quezon within the next two to three hours.

PAGASA said the same weather conditions are being experienced in Zambales (Masinloc, Iba), Bulacan (Dona Remedios Trinidad), and Cavite (Tanza), which may persist within two hours and may affect nearby areas.

Residents in these areas were warned against possible flash floods and landslides.

The recent afternoon rains persist amid the extreme heat that has been scorching the country for months brought by the El Niño phenomenon.

In an interview on Unang Balita earlier in the day, PAGASA weather specialist Benison Estareja said the country is now in the "weak El Niño" stage that may end by June.

The El Niño phenomenon is characterized by the abnormal warming of sea surface temperature in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean and below-normal rainfall. —KBK, GMA Integrated News