PAGASA: Early morning rains not due to cyclone

A cold front affecting Northern Luzon and an inter-tropical convergence zone affecting Mindanao – not a cyclone – caused the rains on parts of the country on Saturday, the state weather forecaster said. The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) also warned residents in Central Luzon and Bicol region against possible flash floods and landslides. “Central and Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms becoming cloudy with widespread rains over Central Luzon and Bicol region, which may trigger flashfloods and landslides while Northern Luzon will have mostly cloudy skies with rains," PAGASA said in its 5 a.m. bulletin. PAGASA earlier said one to two cyclones are expected to pass through Philippine territory this month. For Saturday, it said moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over the whole country and coastal waters will be moderate to rough. — LBG, GMANews.TV