Keep umbrellas handy: Pagasa officially declares rainy season

Commuters brave the rain with umbrellas while waiting for scarce transportation along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City on a rainy morning. (File photo from INQUIRER files/GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — The state weather bureau on Friday announced the beginning of the rainy season in the country.

Its onset was marked by the passage of Super Typhoon ‘Betty’ and the prevailing southwest monsoon or habagat, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

“The occurrence of scattered thunderstorms, the passage of Super Typhoon (STY) ‘Betty’ and the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) over the past few days have brought widespread rains over the western sections of Luzon and Visayas, which signify the start of the rainy season in the country, especially over the Climate Type I areas,” said Pagasa officer-in-charge Esperanza Cayanan in a statement.

Cayanan noted El Niño is expected to decrease rainfall, but habagat will compensate for it.

“El Niño increases the likelihood of below-normal rainfall conditions, which could bring negative impacts (such as dry spells and droughts) in some areas of the country. However, enhanced Southwest monsoon season (Habagat) may also be expected, which may result in above-normal rainfall conditions over the western part of the country,” she said.

The state meteorologist official also said “a transition from ENSO-neutral to El Niño is favored in the next couple of months, with a higher chance of El Niño persisting up to the first quarter of 2024.”

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