Summer’s official start seen next week

MANILA, Philippines — The state weather bureau is set to declare the official start of summer early next week as the cold northeast monsoon makes its last hurrah this weekend.

Rene Paciente, senior weather forecaster at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said there will be a surge of the northeast monsoon today until tomorrow. But the cold wind might only reach northern and eastern Luzon.

“By Monday or early next week we may officially announce the termination of the northeast monsoon or start of dry season,” Paciente told The STAR.

Paciente warned the public against heat-related diseases as temperatures start to rise.

The hottest temperature recorded so far this year was 35 degrees Celsius in Mindanao.

In Tuguegarao in Northern Luzon, the maximum or warmest temperature hit 34 degrees Celsius.

Paciente said warm weather is already prevailing in most parts of the country.

One of the criteria for declaring the official onset of the dry season is the cessation of the northeast monsoon or cold and dry air from China and Siberia.

The easterlies, or warm air from the Pacific, must also be the dominant wind system in the country, Paciente said.

Last year, PAGASA declared the start of the dry season on April 5.

PAGASA earlier said they expect the dry season this year to be shorter than last year.

Ana Liza Solis, officer-in-charge of PAGASA’s climate monitoring and prediction section, said last year’s dry season was longer because of the effects of a strong El Niño. 

The warmest temperature on record is 42.2 degrees Celsius, which was registered on May 11, 1969 in Tuguegarao, Cagayan.