Sweltering heat during rainy season? Must be the monsoon break

MANILA, Philippines — The country is currently experiencing monsoon break, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said on Monday, owing to the high pressure area affecting Luzon.

According to Pagasa, monsoon break happens when the southwest monsoon, locally known as habagat, is not able to reach the country. Habagat would have induced rains at this time.

The monsoon break means that the country will have a generally fair weather with chances of isolated rains due to localized thunderstorms in some key cities.

“Sa susunod na tatlong araw, Tuesday hanggang Thursday, nakikita po namin na magapapatuloy ang monsoon break, at yung ridge of high pressure area (HPA) ay patuloy na makakaapekto sa malaking bahagi ng Luzon. Kaya sa susunod na tatlong araw, magandang panahon ang mararanasan maliban sa mga isolated na mga pag-ulan dahil sa localized thunderstorms, sa Metro Manila, Baguio City, Legazpi City, Metro Cebu, at Metro Davao,” Pagasa weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio said in a public weather forecast

(In the next three days, from Tuesday to Thursday, the monsoon break will be in effect due to the ridge of the HPA affecting a huge swathe of Luzon. So in the next three days, we may experience fair weather, except for some isolated rain showers and localized thunderstorms in key cities of Metro Manila, Baguio City, Legazpi City, Metro Cebu, at Metro Davao.)

Last May, Pagasa declared the onset of the rainy season in the country following the presence of two meteorological systems that brought rain to several areas of Luzon and Visayas.

Aurelio said the HPA in Luzon is blocking the entry of the southwest monsoon in the country, confining it in the area of China up north of the Philippines.

“Kasalukuyan, nakakaranas ng monsoon break ang ating bansa… Kasalukuyan ang southwest monsoon ay umaabot sa Tsina at Indo-China,” he said.

(Currently, the country is experiencing monsoon break… The southwest monsoon only reaches China and Indo-China.)

With the monsoon break, the range of temperatures in the country’s key cities registered thus:

Metro Manila – 26-33 degrees Celsius
Baguio City – 16-23 degrees Celsius
Metro Cebu – 25-32 degrees Celsius
Metro Davao – 25-33 degrees Celsius

The country’s coastal waters will be in a slight to moderate condition.

EDV