Pagasa warns of La Niña onset

MANILA, Philippines — Above normal rainfall is expected in many areas of the country with the onset of La Niña in the last quarter of this year until the first quarter of 2022, state weather forecasters warned yesterday.

“Recent climate monitoring and analysis indicate that La Niña may emerge in the coming months. Based on latest forecasts by most climate models and experts’ judgment, there is a 70 to 80 percent chance of La Niña forming in the last quarter of 2021, which may persist until the first quarter of 2022,” the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in a statement.

La Niña is characterized by unusually cool ocean surface temperatures in the Central and Eastern Equatorial Pacific.

The weather phenomenon will strengthen the easterlies, and enhance the northeast monsoon and tropical cyclone occurrences, which may all lead to higher probability of above normal rainfall conditions in many areas of the country in the next several months, PAGASA said.

“The eastern sections of the country, which normally receive more rainfall during the last quarter of the year, can likely experience more adverse impacts such as floods and landslides, particularly in vulnerable areas,” the weather agency added.

All concerned agencies were advised to take precautionary measures to mitigate the potential adverse impacts of La Niña.

Gloomy weather

Meanwhile, gloomy weather will continue to persist over Southern Tagalog and in several provinces in the Visayas and Mindanao due to the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ).

In a bulletin issued at 4 p.m. yesterday, PAGASA said the ITCZ would continue to bring cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms in Bicol region, Caraga, the Cordilleras, Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Northern Mindanao, the Visayas and Zamboanga peninsula.

Flashfloods and landslides are possible during severe thunderstorms.

Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers and thunderstorms due to the ITCZ and localized thunderstorms.

Cloudy skies with rainshowers and thunderstorms will persist over Metro Manila and the rest of the country until Friday.

No tropical cyclone or any other weather disturbance is expected to enter the country in the next two to three days, according to PAGASA senior weather specialist Ariel Rojas.