Manila and much of Luzon sizzle; Visayas, Mindanao cloudy—Pagasa

MANILA, Philippines – Residents of Metro Manila had to bear Saturday with the hottest temperature so far this year, recorded at 35.9 degrees Celsius at the Science Garden in Quezon City at around 3 p.m.

Elsewhere in the metropolis, 34.7 C was recorded at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City, and 34.2 C at the Port Area in Manila, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

The highest temperature in the metropolis was 37 C on April 4, 2007, also at the Science Garden.

At 2 p.m. Saturday, the heat was just as searing in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija, which recorded 37 C; Dagupan City, Pangasinan 36.5 C; Tuguegarao, Cagayan 36 C; and Clark, Angeles City 35.3 C, and Sangley, Cavite, 35.2 C.

“That’s all due to the prevailing ridge of high pressure area. We’re directly hit by the heat because there are no bands of clouds,” weather observer Ben Oris said by phone.

In contrast, the bureau forecast cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers in Visayas and Mindanao becoming cloudy with widespread rains over eastern Mindanao, warning of possible flashfloods and landslides in these areas.

Meanwhile, La Niña has weakened across the tropical Pacific Ocean, and was expected to transition to neutral conditions by the end of the month, Pagasa said.

Rainfall would likely be “near normal” for most parts of the country except for southern Palawan, Masbate, eastern Panay, most areas of Negros, western and southern Mindanao which may get above-normal rainfall, it said.

“Patches of below-normal rainfall are expected over Occidental Mindoro, Eastern Samar and Surigao del Norte,” it added.