PAGASA declares start of rainy season
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 2) — The rainy season has officially begun in the country, the weather bureau announced on Friday.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said widespread rains over the western sections of Luzon and Visayas — brought by the occurrence of scattered thunderstorms, the passage of Super Typhoon Betty, and the southwest monsoon or habagat — over the past few days signify the start of the wet season.
PAGASA noted, however, that breaks in rainfall may still occur, which can last for several days or weeks.
The bureau also said a transition to El Niño “is favored in the next couple of months, with a higher chance of El Niño persisting up to the first quarter of 2024.”
El Niño raises the likelihood of below-normal rainfall conditions, which could bring dry spells and drought in some parts of the country.
Still, the southwest monsoon season may also be expected, which may result in above-normal rainfall conditions over the western part of the Philippines, PAGASA added.
Earlier, the bureau said rains currently experienced in some Luzon areas were brought by the southwest monsoon, enhanced by Betty (international name: Mawar).
Betty — which was a super typhoon last Saturday then weakened into a severe tropical storm — left the Philippine Area of Responsibility Thursday afternoon.
Occidental Mindoro, Antique, and northern Palawan including Cuyo, Calamian, and Kalayaan Islands may experience monsoon rains on Friday, PAGASA said.
Cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms are forecast over Metro Manila, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, Calabarzon, Bicol region, and the rest of Mimaropa and Western Visayas.
Meanwhile, the rest of the country may expect partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
"Sa western section ng Central Luzon, inaasahan natin magpapatuloy pa rin yong pag-ulan hanggang sa next week particularly until Tuesday as well as sa Palawan area," PAGASA weather forecaster Rhea Torres told CNN Philippines’ New Day.
[Translation: We expect the rains to continue over the western section of Central Luzon and Palawan area until next week, particularly until Tuesday.]
"For Metro Manila as well as western section of Calabarzon and Western Visayas, particularly over this weekend, makakaranas pa rin ng increased chances ng mga pag-ulan dahil dito sa southwest monsoon [will still experience increased chances of rains due to the southwest monsoon]," she said.
Weather conditions may start to improve over mentioned areas by Monday, the weather forecaster added.
