Dry season is here – Pagasa

MANILA, Philippines — Dry season has officially begun, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) announced Friday.

In a statement, the state weather bureau noted the “termination of the northeast monsoon” also known as “amihan” and the beginning of the dry season in the country. Pagasa has earlier stressed that the Philippines has no summer season.

“The gradual shift of wind direction from northeasterly to easterly over most parts of the country due to the establishment of the High-Pressure Area (HPA) over the Northeastern Pacific Ocean signifies the termination of the Northeast Monsoon and the start of the dry season,” Pagasa Administrator Vicente Malano said.

“With this development, the day-to-day weather across the country will gradually become warmer, though isolated thunderstorms are also likely to occur,” Malano added.

Pagasa also advised the public to take necessary precautionary measures to avoid heat stress during the dry season.

In May 2019, heat index in Virac town in Catanduanes soared to 52.2 degrees Celsius.

Pagasa explained that heat index is the “apparent temperature or what humans perceive or feel as the temperature affecting the body.”

KGA