MTSAT ENHANCED-IR Satellite Image 7:32 a.m., 02 January 2013. Image courtesy of PAGASA.

MANILA, Philippines - Cloudy skies and rain are in the forecast for most of the country Wednesday, January 2, as a low pressure area hovers east of Mindanao.

The LPA was last spotted 1,020 km southeast of Mindanao (5.0°N, 136.0°E), state weather bureau PAGASA said, and is embedded along the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) that is currently bringing cloudy skies and light to moderate rain or thunderstorms to the area.

The northeast monsoon, or the amihan, continues to affect northern Luzon. Aurora, Quezon, and the Cagayan Valley region will have cloudy skies with light rain.

The rest of the country will be partly cloudy, PAGASA said, and can experience brief rain or thunderstorms.

Strong to gale force winds will be felt along northern Luzon's coasts, as well as in the eastern seaboard of Central and Southern Luzon.

There is currently no major weather disturbance in the Philippine Area of Responsibility, the bureau added.

PAGASA 24-Hour Public Weather Forecast, 2 January 2013, 5am

- Rappler.com