‘Weak’ La Niña to bring more rains in Cebu

CEBU, Philippines — The weak La Niña is expected to bring more rains in Cebu this month until May despite the blasts of warm and humid weather, according to the state weather bureau.

Alfredo Quiblat Jr., officer-in-charge of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) in Cebu, said the forecast rainfall amount for March to May is seen to reach “near or above” the average rain volume these months usually accumulate.

“Naa pa gihapon igong uwan nga maabot for the next three months from March to May,” he told The FREEMAN in a phone interview.

Quiblat, however, said the months of March and April normally get the least rainy days for a year compared to other months.

Although May is considered by the weather bureau as the hottest month of the year due to climatological records, rains are expected on the last week leading to the start of the wet season.

The country has two seasons—rainy or wet, and dry. The dry season is subdivided into two: first is the cool-dry season from November to February, and second is hot-dry season from March to May.

Warmer weather has been felt in Cebu and rest of the country in the past days, ahead of the onset of the dry season, which is projected to start on the last week of March or first week of April.

Quiblat said a weak La Niña phenomenon still exists but there is a greater chance that its intensity will slowly decline.

He said there is 55 percent probability that the temperature in the equatorial Pacific will slowly transition to neutral or normal conditions, while the remaining percentage suggests that the weak La Niña will remain.

La Niña is characterized by unusually cold ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific. It causes intense rains, frequent typhoons, and high risk of flooding and landslides.

For the months of January and February, the PAGASA local station measured an actual rainfall amount that is “above” or higher than the average normal rainfall.

Quiblat said these are among the effects of the weak La Niña in Cebu.

The weak La Niña, which was observed since November last year, is expected to be short-lived and may only persist until the first quarter of this year. — KBQ (FREEMAN)