MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) on Wednesday announced the start of the dry season in the country.
Pagasa officially declared the start of the dry season after the end of the northeast monsoon or “amihan.”
“The recent analyses indicate retreat of the High Pressure Area (HPA) over Siberia, thereby weakening of the associated northeasterly winds and decreasing sea level pressure in the country. Moreover, the wind pattern has generally shifted from northeaster lies to easterlies over most parts of the country as a result of the advancing HPA over northwestern Pacific,” Pagasa administration Vicente Malano said in a statement.
“These signify the termination of the northeast monsoon (amihan and the start of the dry season and warmer conditions,” Malano added.
Malano also advised the public to take precautionary steps like drinking more fluids to avoid “heat stress” which may lead to heat strokes.
Even before the official start of the dry season, Dagupan City on March 6 recorded the highest heat index in 2022 at 51 degrees Celsius, according to Pagasa.