Southwest monsoon or ‘habagat’ no longer affects Philippines, says Pagasa

Weather satellite from Pagasa’s website

MANILA, Philippines — The southwest monsoon, which is locally termed habagat, has further weakened and is no longer affecting the country’s weather.

This information was disclosed to INQUIRER.net on Monday by a Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) weather specialist.

However, state weather specialist Chenel Dominguez also quickly clarified that the southwest monsoon season has not yet ended.

“Hindi na po siya (habagat) nakakaapekto sa ating bansa,” Dominguez said in a phone interview.

(The southwest monsoon no longer affects the country.)

“Humina lang po siya. Kapag nagtapos po ‘yung habagat, in transition na po tayo to amihan, so hindi pa naman po, humina lang po siya,” she also explained.

(It just weakened. When the southwest monsoon or habagat ends, we will be in transition to the northeast monsoon or amihan, but it’s not yet the case, it just weakened.)

Dominguez then said that the intertropical convergence zone or ITCZ is currently affecting the country’s weather. Although for Monday, June 19, Pagasa predicted that a generally fair weather will prevail across the country.

“Ang ine-expect po natin ay generally fair weather lang pero asahan ang mga pag-ulan sa hapon at gabi dulot ng localized thunderstorms,” she said.

(What we are expecting is generally fair weather but expect rain in the afternoon and evening caused by localized thunderstorms.)

Dominguez added that the state weather service said it is not raising a gale warning over any seaboards nationwide and that no low pressure area is expected to enter or form within the Philippine area of responsibility for the next two to three days.

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