Friday, March 22, 2024, has been declared as the official start of the summer season by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
Dr. Nathaniel Servando, Pagasa chief, announced this during a press briefing, today.
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“Today, we officially declare the start of the Philippine summer based on analysis of the latest forecast,” Servando said.
The state weather bureau advised of the continued weakening of the northeast monsoon, or amihan.
In an earlier report, Pagasa weather specialist Obet Badrina noted that they might declare the end of the “amihan season” within the day.
“Sa ating latest satellite images ay makikita natin na unti-unti ngang humihina itong hanging amihan at nakakaapekto na lang dito sa may bahagi ng extreme northern Luzon,” Badrina said in an early morning advisory.
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(In our latest satellite images, we can see that the northeast monsoon is gradually weakening, and it now only affects the extreme northern part of Luzon.)
“Malaki ‘yung posibilidad na tuluyan nang hihina itong northeast monsoon, at posible sa araw na ito ay maaaring ideklara ng Pagasa ang pagtatapos ng panahon ng amihan,” he added.
(The northeast monsoon may further weaken, and today, Pagasa may declare the end of the amihan.)
However, easterlies, or the warm winds blowing from the Pacific Ocean, are forecast to bring rain to some parts of the country continuously.
READ: Pagasa: Northeast monsoon ending soon; rains likely this Monday
Pagasa said that overcast skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms may be expected over Caraga, Davao Oriental, and Davao de Oro due to the weather system.
Metro Manila and the rest of the country, on the other hand, will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms due to easterlies and localized thunderstorms.
The state weather bureau cautioned residents in low-lying areas of possible flash floods or landslides during severe thunderstorms.
No gale warning alert is raised in any parts of the country, it added.