Pagasa: Easterly wave, not storm, behind predawn rains

MANILA, Philippines - The rains in some parts of Metro Manila before dawn Tuesday are due not to any cyclone but to an easterly wave, state weather forecasters said Tuesday. Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) head Prisco Nilo said hot weather is likely to return as the easterly wave was to "clear" in the afternoon. "May easterly wave at umabot sa Metro Manila ang kaulapan dulot ng easterly wave [There is an easterly wave, and the clouds reached Metro Manila]," he said in an interview on dzXL radio. In its 5 a.m. bulletin, Pagasa said the easterly wave is affecting primarily southern Luzon and Visayas. "Southern Luzon and Visayas will have mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms. The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to at times cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms," it said. Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over northern and eastern Luzon and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the east and northeast with slight to moderate seas except during thunderstorms. - GMANews.TV