Public urged to store rain now than later

Despite the onset of the rainy season, the Mactan office of the state weather bureau Pagasa reminded the public to start storing water before the El Niño dry spell returns in August.

Alfredo Quiblat, acting Pagasa-Mactan chief, cited the World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) findings indicating that a weak to moderate El Niño will be experienced in the country a month from now.

“In August, rainfall will be below normal (twenty percent reduction of rainfall) while starting November, rains will be way below normal (sixty percent reduction of rain),” Quiblat said.

As of yesterday, light to moderate rains affected portions of Argao, Moalboal and Alcantara towns in the southern part of the island.

He said the WMO recorded surface temperature at the Central and Eastern Pacific area at 1.4 degrees Celsius, one degree less than the maximum ceiling for a moderate El Niño.

Water level

Quiblat said a weak El Niño has surface temperatures ranging from .5 to 1 degree Celsius.

A strong El Niño has a surface temperature of 1.6°C and above.

“Part of the forecast indicated that a strong El Niño will be on October to December. Rains will be below normal too. The El Niño is also expected to end by January or first quarter next year,” he said.

Quiblat said the amount of rainfall for June helped restore the water levels in affected water sources and cooled parched upland areas.

He said they recorded 229 millimeters of rainfall this June, which is above the normal range of 183.3 millimeters of rain.

Low pressure area

The normal rainfall rate for July is pegged at 203.7 millimeters and 148.4 millimeters for August.

It’s 179.1 millimeters for September, 189.7 millimeters for October, 158.4 millimeters for November and 144.9 millimeters for December.

Quiblat said the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) will bring heavy rainfall in the Visayas and Mindanao for the next four days particularly early in the morning, afternoon and in the evening.

Quiblat said they are monitoring an LPA outside the country.

He said they don’t know if it will develop into a tropical depression and enter the Philippine area of responsibility.

Catchment

At the Capitol, the Provincial Agriculture Office cautioned farmers against being complacent by stocking up on rainwater.

Provincial Agriculturist Dr. Roldan Saragena said 1,200 plastic drums with a capacity of 200 liters of water will be distributed for use as rainwater catchment in the cities and towns in the province this week.

For their part the Provincial Veterinary Office held a seminar to help livestock raisers, agriculture and livestock coordinators and barangay animal health aid workers deal with the dry spell./With UP Cebu Intern Julienne Hazel E. Penserga