MANILA, Philippines ? Feeling warm already? It?s going to get even hotter.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said summer could start as early as next month. Worse, this year?s summer might be hotter than usual.

Nathaniel Cruz, Pagasa deputy administrator for operations and services, said that summer or the dry season for the Philippines could start as early as the middle of February.

He said breaks in the northeast monsoon were causing temperatures to rise even in January, the supposed peak of the country?s cold season. Once a break in the northeast monsoon occurs, the warm ?easterlies? or easterly winds, enter the country.

?If the northeast monsoon is terminated, the easterlies will come in, signaling the start of the dry season, or summer for some of us,? Cruz told the Inquirer.

The northeast monsoon is cold air from the northern hemisphere which comes into the country starting November and ends in February or the beginning of March.

The ?easterlies? are warm air from the Pacific Ocean, particularly the equatorial sections, that travel west to the Philippines.

Another reason for the early arrival of summer is the El Niño phenomenon or the unusual warming of sea surface temperatures that cause droughts which could peak in February.

Besides an early start to summer, Cruz also said the traditional warm months would be warmer than usual with temperatures peaking at 38 degrees Celsius.

?We could have days when temperatures would peak at 38. But if you have 36 degrees Celsius sustained over several days? that?s dangerous,? Cruz said, adding that people could suffer from heat stroke due to the warm weather.

For January, Pagasa forecasts ?near normal to slightly warmer surface air temperatures? in Luzon. Warmer than normal temperatures are also expected in most areas in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Cruz said current temperatures could range from a minimum of 21 to 22 degrees Celsius to a maximum of 31 to 32 degrees Celsius.