MANILA, Philippines: Most parts of the country will continue to experience cold and windy mornings until next month due to the northeast monsoon locally known as "amihan."

The cold breeze would be more prevalent during the early mornings, Nathaniel Servando, Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) administrator, said on Tuesday.

He told The Manila Times via Viber that the cold mornings are being felt in many parts of the country, particularly in the eastern part of Luzon, Visayas and some areas in Mindanao.

"Although there are breaks, it's common and expected during January but this (cold breeze) would last until next month," Servando said.

Asked if the existing El Niño phenomenon is affecting the cold temperature, the Pagasa chief said it was.

"Actually, even during the months of November and December, colder temperatures, even frost could have been observed without the El Niño phenomenon," he said.

This month, Servando said the lowest temperature, 12.1 degrees Celsius, was recorded in La Trinidad, Benguet and was followed by 12.9 degrees Celsius in Baguio City on January 12.

In Tuguegarao City, it was 18.4 degrees Celsius last January 15 and 20.4 degrees Celsius in Quezon City on January 14, he said.

The northeast monsoon is defined as the cold and drier winds from the northeast that bring rains over the eastern side of the country, the state run weather agency said.

Meanwhile, the same weather system and shear line - where the hot and cold air converge - are bringing rain in parts of the country, especially in the afternoon or at night, weather specialist Robert Badrina said

Metro Manila and the rest of the country, in particular, would likely have partly cloudy to overcast skies with isolated light rains due to amihan over the next 24 hours, the Pagasa forecaster said.

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