PAGASA announces start of dry season

Metro Manila, Philippines - Filipinos can expect hotter days as the state weather bureau declared the start of the dry season or “tag-init” in the country on Wednesday, March 26.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the northeast monsoon or amihan season, which is associated with cold weather, has also ended over most parts of the country.

PAGASA terminated the northeast monsoon season due to “the shift of wind direction from northeasterly to easterly due to the establishment of the High Pressure Area (HPA) over the Northwestern Pacific.”

The bureau said areas in extreme northern Luzon may still experience occasional northeasterly winds.

“With this development, the day-to-day weather across the country will gradually become warmer, though isolated thunderstorms are also likely to occur,” PAGASA Administrator Nathaniel Servando said in a statement.

PAGASA earlier predicted the summer heat could reach up to 39.8 degrees Celsius in some areas during end-April to May.

READ: PAGASA: Max daytime temperatures may reach 39.8°C in end-April

“The public is advised to take precautionary measures to minimize heat stress and optimize the daily use of water for personal and domestic consumption,” Servando also told the public.

Malacañang also said the Department of Health has already outlined measures to beat the health impact of heat through the services of the Bagong Urgent Care and Ambulatory Service Centers, as well as public health literacy, establishment of cooling centers, and climate resilient health infrastructure that includes hydration stations.

The declaration of the dry season came as state meteorologists monitor a low pressure area (LPA) inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility, near eastern Mindanao.

PAGASA said the weather disturbance has a low to moderate chance of tropical cyclone formation and is forecasted to traverse the Caraga-Visayas-Southern Luzon during the March 26 to April 1 period.