PAGASA declares onset of rainy season

MANILA, Philippines — It’s official: the rainy season is here.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced this just three days after the southwest monsoon started to prevail.

PAGASA announced the onset of the rainy season in the western sections of Luzon and the Visayas, after “scattered to widespread rainfall has been observed in the past five days due to the southwest monsoon… based on the latest weather analysis and rainfall data from selected stations.”

“The public and all concerned agencies are advised to take precautionary measures against the adverse impacts of the rainy season… and other climate and weather events,” reminded PAGASA.

However, it noted monsoon breaks – or periods of no rainfall that could last for weeks – might still occur.

PAGASA declared the start of the rainy season in the country after it announced on Friday that the southwest monsoon, known for bringing “occasional to frequent rains and thunderstorms,” has started affecting the western side of the country.

Meanwhile, the agency said yesterday the southwest monsoon would prevail over the entire Luzon, with rains prevalent in the provinces of Zambales and Bataan.

The regions of Metro Manila and Cordillera Administrative Region, the rest of Central Luzon and Batanes would experience “cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms,” while the rest of Luzon would see “partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms,” both due to the monsoon.

Localized thunderstorms would prevail over the Visayas and Mindanao, said PAGASA.

Both the monsoon and localized thunderstorms could cause possible flashfloods and landslides, warned the agency.

Apparently, the monsoon would bring “moderate to strong southwest winds” and “moderate to rough” waves over extreme Northern Luzon, while the rest of the country would feel “light to moderate winds and slight to moderate waves.”

The country is expected to feel a minimum temperature of 26.1 degrees Celsius at 6 a.m., and maximum temperature of 33 degrees Celsius by 11 a.m.