High temperatures to persist, says Pagasa

A group of children frolic in Manila Bay along Navotas to beat the summer heat. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/JOAN BONDOC

MANILA, Philippines—Frequent thunderstorms do not a wet season make, the weather bureau said on Monday, reminding the public the hot temperatures will remain until the first two weeks of June.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) forecasters on Monday continued to record sizzling temperatures in Luzon except in Metro Manila, which had considerably cooled down.

Forecaster Fernando Cada told the Inquirer the Visayas could expect higher temperatures on Tuesday as the ridge of a high pressure area (HPA) prevailing in Luzon is extending to the region.

“Temperatures in the Visayas on Tuesday could reach average highs of 34 or 35 degrees Celsius,” he said, adding that similar temperatures could also be expected in Mindanao with the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) no longer in effect over the region.

Cada said that as of 2 p.m. Monday, a temperature of 38.4 degrees Celsius was recorded in Tuguegarao City; 37.5 degrees in Cabanatuan City; 36.5 degrees in Sangley Point, Cavite; and 36.5 degrees in Echague, Isabela.

The highest temperature in Metro Manila on Monday was 34.3 degrees Celsius at 1:50 p.m., the weather forecaster said, due to the development of thunderstorms in the afternoon.

He said that although we are seeing more thunderstorms, the rainy season has not started.

“The frequent formation of thunderstorms is a sign that the rainy season is coming but as long as the easterly winds remain prevalent, it is still the dry season,” Cada said, adding that the rainy season begins when the southwest monsoon, locally known as “hanging habagat,” comes in, which could be sometime in the second half of June.—Jeannette I. Andrade 

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