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MANILA, Philippines — Rainy season may arrive as early as the first week of June, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Monday.
Pagasa weather specialist Benison Estareja said the onset of the wet season in the country may be caused by Typhoon Aghon, which is forecast to enhance the southwesterly wind flow and bring rain over the western portions of Luzon and Visayas.
“Kung pagbabasihan natin ‘yung mga posibleng umiral na hangin at umiral na ulan sa mga susunod na araw, hindi natin inaalis ‘yung chance na magkakaroon tayo ng pagsisimula ng tag-ulan as early as next week, ‘yon na ‘yung pinakamaaga,” Estareja told reporters.
(If we base it on the possible wind and rain in the next few days, we are not eliminating the chance that we will have the start of the rainy season as early as next week, which is the earliest.)
READ: NDRRMC says Aghon affected at least 19,350 people as of May 27
“Pero for this week, mababa pa ‘yung chance (but for this week, the chance is still low),” he added.
The southwesterly wind flow may bring rain over Western Visayas, Mimaropa, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, and the Ilocos Region, according to the state weather agency.
But apart from Aghon, Pagasa is not monitoring any low-pressure area or storm within or outside the Philippine area of responsibility for now. Estareja added.
Estareja further said that dangerous-level heat indices may still occur over the eastern parts of the country despite the forecast that the rainy season may begin by next week.
“Posible pa rin na makapagtala tayo ng mga dangerous levels of heat index dito sa may eastern side (It’s still possible for us to record dangerous levels of heat index here in the eastern side of the country),” he said.
READ: Aghon makes landfall over Patnanungan Island, says Pagasa
“Kasi posibleng magkaroon ng pagulan for this week ay ‘yung western side so maaaring sa may Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Caraga Region, Davao Region, Northern Mindanao and then parts of Bicol Region posible makaexperience pa rin ng matatas na heat indices,” he added.
(Because there may be rain this week on the western side, so Eastern Visayas, Central Visayas, Caraga Region, Davao Region, Northern Mindanao, and parts of Bicol Region may still experience high heat indices.)
The heat index is the “measure of the contribution that high humidity makes with abnormally high temperatures in reducing the body’s ability to cool itself.”