NCR feels 36°C heat 2 days in a row; potential cyclone hovers near Mindanao

For the second straight day, Metro Manila residents suffered through 36° Celsius heat Wednesday, even as state weather forecasters said temperatures may again reach 36° on Thursday. PAGASA forecaster Gener Quitlong said in an interview on dzBB radio that the highest temperature recorded at Science Garden Wednesday was 36° Celsius at 3 p.m., a shade below Tuesday's 36.1°—the hottest temperature so far this year. He said Sangley in Cavite similarly experienced a high temperature of 36.0°, while Tuguegarao City experienced high temperatures of up to 35.9°. PAGASA's 5 p.m. extended outlook indicated 36° temperatures for Metro Manila and Tuguegarao City on Thursday. Quitlong said temperatures may continue going up until the first week of May. "Wala pa tayo sa peak, last week of April to first week of May, doon ang peak ng summer," he said. 24-hour outlook PAGASA's 5 p.m. bulletin said the trough of a low-pressure area is affecting Mindanao, while the ridge of a high-pressure area is extending across Luzon. "Mindanao will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms particularly over the regions of Zamboanga Peninsula, ARMM, SOCCSKSARGEN and Davao. Metro Manila and the rest of the country will be partly cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms," it said. It added light to moderate winds from the east to southeast will prevail over Luzon and Visayas and coming from the east to northeast over Mindanao. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate, it added. LPA near Mindanao PAGASA is also monitoring a low-pressure area hovering near Mindanao, which it said has a chance of becoming a cyclone. "Nasa dagat ito at may posibilidad maging bagyo," forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said in an interview on dzBB radio. Should the LPA become a cyclone while inside the Philippine area of responsibility, it will be locally codenamed Dante. — BM, GMA News