Rains and cooler temperatures continue to affect Northern Luzon as the northeast monsoon prevails, while the tropical storm outside the country’s area of responsibility has weakened into a tropical depression, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported on Thursday, March 12.

PAGASA weather specialist Loriedin de la Cruz-Galicia said the northeast monsoon, locally known as “amihan,” is also causing slightly lower temperatures compared to previous days.

She said the cooler weather may persist in the coming days, especially in Northern and Central Luzon and in upland areas.

Due to the amihan, Batanes and the Babuyan Islands may experience cloudy skies with scattered moderate to heavy rains over the next 24 hours.

Cloudy skies with light rains are also expected over the rest of Cagayan Valley as well as Aurora, Apayao, and Kalinga.

Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, and parts of Visayas may experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains.

Meanwhile, as of 8 a.m. Thursday, PAGASA said “Nuri” had weakened into a tropical depression while remaining outside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).

The cyclone was located about 1,365 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph. It was moving southward slowly at 10 kph.

De la Cruz-Galicia said the weather disturbance still has a slim chance of entering the PAR and that the likelihood of it directly affecting the country remains low.

However, PAGASA said the trough or extension of the tropical depression may bring scattered rains and thunderstorms over Dinagat Islands and Surigao del Norte.

The rest of Mindanao, Eastern Samar, Leyte, and Southern Leyte, may experience generally fair weather with partly cloudy skies and only isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to localized thunderstorm activity.