Onset of dry season expected in two weeks, says Pagasa

Project NOAH MTSAT image as of March 4, 2014, 1:32 PM. Screengrab from https://noah.dost.gov.ph/

MANILA, Philippines—The Philippine summer is coming.

The dry season is likely begin in the third week of March, signaling the arrival of warm and moist winds from the Pacific Ocean known as the easterlies, the state weather bureau said Tuesday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said the northeast monsoon would be weakened.

Last year, the start of summer was officially declared on March 17, and this year, it will likely occur at about the same time, Pagasa weather forecasting section chief Rene Paciente said.

He said forecasters were looking at obvious changes in wind patterns and temperature ranges.

“We know summer is coming when easterlies become more prevalent, and the northeast monsoon (cold winds from Siberia) becomes very weak,” Paciente said.

Summer is also marked by overall increases in temperature and humidity, with average minimum temperatures ranging from 22 to 25 degrees Celsius, and average maximum temperatures ranging from 32 to 35 degrees Celsius, he added.

“Right now, the northeast monsoon is still here, but it’s getting weaker,” Paciente said.

According to Pagasa’s 24-hour weather outlook, Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon and Visayas will have fair weather, except for isolated light rains.

Mindanao will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, it added.

Pagasa expects “zero to one” tropical cyclone to arrive in the country this month.

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