Cold front brings rains; Chedeng nears Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines — The rainshowers yesterday in Metro Manila were not the result of cloud-seeding but caused by the tail-end of a cold front hovering over Luzon, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

PAGASA, however, said it has monitored a tropical depression which is still outside the Philippine area of responsibility.

The weather disturbance continues to move westward over the sea off western Caroline Islands, it said.

At 11 a.m. yesterday, the center of the tropical depression was estimated at 1,505 kilometers east of Mindanao.

With maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 60 kph, it was moving west at 20 kph.

Weather specialist Loriedin de la Cruz said the weather disturbance is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility between last night and early morning today.

“Once it enters the country, it will be named Chedeng,” De la Cruz said, adding that for now, the tropical depression has no direct effect on the country.

But it would be felt by Mindanao residents on Monday or Tuesday, she added.

PAGASA said the tail-end of a cold front is currently affecting Northern and Central Luzon.

Meanwhile, Ilocos Region, Batanes and Babuyan Group of Islands will have cloudy skies with light rains due to the northeast monsoon.

The tail-end of a cold front will bring cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms in Metro Manila, Cordillera Administrative Region, the rest of Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and the provinces of Rizal and Quezon.

The rest of the country will have cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms.