Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 31) — Don’t put away those umbrellas yet, as the last two months of the year will likely be rainy, at least for Luzon, unlike the usual cool and dry weather.
The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced the onset of northeast monsoon (Amihan) on Friday which is expected to bring about cool winds.
“May mga bugso na prior pa, pero na-establish nung October 27 (It can already be felt even before, but it was established on October 27,” PAGASA weather forecaster Nikos Peñaranda said on Tuesday.
Amihan, which comes around late October to early November and lasts until February. It brings cool, dry winds associated with the Christmas season.
Northern Luzon will be the first to feel the drop in temperature due to the high pressure coming from mainland China and Japan.
Metro Manila will experience cooler weather only in December.
Beyond the cold weather, PAGASA says to expect more gale warnings due to the strong northeastern wind.
“Maraming days na hindi pwedeng maglayag sa Luzon (There will be more days that fishermen will not be able to sail in Luzon),” the PAGASA weather forecaster said.
Instead of a cold and dry Christmas, Filipinos can expect rain due to a developing La Niña in the eastern part of the Philippines.
La Niña is the cooling of the equatorial part of the Pacific Ocean, which brings more rains in Southeast Asia, Africa, and Brazil.
It can be expected that the entire country will experience above normal rainfall for November and December, Penaranda said.
The La Niña, PAGASA said, may carry over until the first quarter of 2018.
READ: PAGASA: High chance of La Niña in PH before yearend
