Weather: Predawn rain showers not from cyclone

The rain showers that fell on parts of Metro Manila before dawn Monday are not from a cyclone but from an inter-tropical convergence zone, state weather forecasters said. Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration forecaster Manny Mendoza said Central and Southern Luzon and the Visayas will likely experience cloudy skies and rain showers due to the ITCZ. "Wala po tayong bagyo (We do not have any cyclone in Philippine territory)," he said in an interview on dzBB radio. "Makakaranas ng madalas na maulap na kalangitan na may kalat-kalat na pagulan pagkidlat at pagkulog, ang Gitna at Katimugang Luzon kasama ang Metro Manila at ang Kabisayaan, sanhi ito ng ITCZ (We can expect mostly cloudy skies and scattered rain showers and thunderstorms in Central and Southern Luzon, including Metro Manila, and Visayas. This is due to the ITCZ)," he said. He said other parts of the country can experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms. Most of the rain and thunderstorms will be in the afternoon or evening, Mendoza said. A separate report on dzRH radio said such weather conditions involving rain in the early morning followed by relatively warm weather may last for the next three days. Meanwhile, PAGASA's 5 a.m. bulletin indicated the ITCZ is affecting Central and Southern Luzon and the Visayas. It added light to moderate winds blowing from the southeast will prevail over Luzon and Visayas and coming from the south to southeast over Mindanao. — RSJ, GMA News