Rainy season nears with southwest monsoon onset - PAGASA

Metro Manila, Philippines - The southwest monsoon, or habagat, season has begun, indicating more rains in the coming weeks, government meteorologists said Friday, May 30.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said its recent analyses have shown “persistence of low-level southwesterly winds over the western section of Luzon and the frontal system over extreme northern Luzon.”

PAGASA Administrator Nathaniel Servando said habagat is among the precursors of the onset of the rainy season.

“As the habagat becomes more dominant, occasional to frequent rains and thunderstorms are expected, particularly over the western sections of the country,” Servando said in a statement.

“This may lead to the possible onset of the rainy season within the next two weeks,” he said, adding that periods of monsoon breaks may also occur.

The start of the habagat season followed sightings of low pressure areas (LPA) in and out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility in recent weeks.

While the LPAs did not develop into full tropical cyclones, the extensions or troughs of LPAs and other weather systems have brought rains and caused floods in some parts of the south, particularly in the Bangsamoro.

The weather bureau advised the public to take precautionary measures against the adverse impacts of the habagat such as floods and rain-induced landslides.

PAGASA declared the start of the dry season or “tag-init” in the country March 26. 

As of May 29, the highest temperature recorded this year was at Tuguegarao City, Cagayan at 37.8 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, Dagupan City posted one of the highest heat indexes at 48 degrees Celsius in March.