News Update Thick fog blankets Metro Manila

A thick fog enveloped Metro Manila early Monday morning causing limited visibility and cool weather in the metropolis, and delayed local and domestic flights while grounding light aircraft.Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration’s (PAGASA) weather services assistant chief Rene Paciente said the fog, a low-lying cloud, observed Monday was due to the passing of warm and moist air over the cold landmass of Metro Manila.“The sunshine rarely reached the landmass because of cloudy skies and rains during the past few days causing the cooling of the landmass in Metro Manila. The warm and moist air spanned the cold landmass causing the condensation of moisture that formed the fog,” Paciente said.The foggy condition caused cooler weather in the metropolis but triggered poor visibility among motorists. Metro Manila recorded a slightly lower temperature Monday at 22.9 degrees Celsius.Paciente said a fog persists until the sun rises, and afterwards it begins to dissipate.“The fog observed in Metro Manila was formed overnight and dissipated at past 8 a.m. on Monday,” he said.“If cloudy skies and rains will persist in the next 24 hours, we could expect another fog formation,” he said.The heavy fog that blanketed the Manila airspace caused the delay in both arrival and departures at the country's premiere airport.A total of 79 domestic and international flights were delayed Monday morning as heavy fog covered both runways of the airport from 6 to 11 a.m. Monday.The airports media affairs division recorded 17 international flights at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport terminal 1 as having been delayed because of the poor visibility.At the NAIA terminal 2, 25 flights were affected while 13 flights were affected at terminal 3 at the Manila Domestic Airport where smaller airplanes operate the MAD recorded 34 flights as having been affected. (With reports from Anjo Perez and Rizal S. Obanil) ]]