Northeast monsoon, cold front to bring light rains, colder mornings — PAGASA

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MANILA — Most parts of Luzon including Metro Manila will be cloudy with light rains and slightly cooler than normal because of the effects of the northeast monsoon and tail-end of a cold front, according to the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Monday.

In an interview, PAGASA weather forecaster Rene Paciente said the cold northeast monsoon or “hanging amihan” is the cold winds associated with the Christmas season is expected to bring cloudy skies with passing light rains in Northern and Central Luzon .

”So far the effect of northeast monsoon concentrates in Northern Luzon but it will also bring cold mornings in some parts of Luzon including Metro Manila and the northeast monsoon usually peaks from early January to mid-February,” Paciente told the Philippines News Agency (PNA) in an interview.

He added it starts blowing into the country from Siberia every mid-October and strengthens every mid-December.

“So, the public should expect chillier mornings in the coming weeks,” he noted.

In Metro Manila the range of temperature will be 22-30 degrees Celsius for Monday while Baguio, the country’s capital summer destination will range to 13-22 degrees Celsisus.

Metro Manila’s temperature readings are being recorded daily in the vicinity of the PAGASA Science Garden in Diliman, Quezon City between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m.

PAGASA said that 15.8 degrees Celsius recorded last Jan. 26 was still the “coldest” in the metropolis this year.

PAGASA said the all-time lowest temperature recorded in Metro Manila was at 15.1 degrees Celsius on February 4, 1987 and December 30, 1988.

Baguio City recorded its lowest temperature this season last January 19 at 8.1 degrees Celsius.

Based on the PAGASA’s climatological record, the coldest temperature recorded in Baguio was at 6.3 degrees Celsius on Jan. 18, 1961

Paciente said the tail-end of a cold front, on the other hand, is affecting southern Luzon.

The tail-end of a cold front is the front boundary of two air masses, which produces clouds and rain.

PAGASA also issued gale warning as strong to gale force winds associated with the surge of northeast monsoon will cause rough to very rough sea conditions over the seaboards of Northern Luzon and the Eastern seaboard of Central Luzon.

“Fishing boats and other small seacrafts are advised not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves,” it warned.

Paciente added that the country will continue to be storm free for the next two days as there is no weather disturbance seen near the Philippine area of responsibility that can develop into a tropical cyclone.

In its Monday forecast, PAGASA said Visayas and the regions of Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan) and Bicol will experience cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms while Metro Manila, Cagayan Valley, Cordillera, Ilocos Region and Central Luzon will have cloudy skies with light rains.

It added Mindanao will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers and thunderstorms.

PAGASA also said moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over the whole archipelago with moderate to rough seas.