Pagasa: PH in transition to rainy season

GEARING UP A child tries on a raincoat at the Divisoria market district in Manila. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO/NIÑO JESUS ORBETA

With thunderstorms in the country becoming more frequent, the onset of the rainy season is coming anytime soon.

“We are now in transition to the rainy season,” Jun Galang, weather forecaster from the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said on Thursday.

But in order to declare a rainy season, certain criteria must be met.

Galang said there should be at least 25 millimeters of accumulated rain in three consecutive days, and there should be at least one millimeter of rain in a day.

Pagasa’s climate stations are in Laoag City, Vigan in Ilocos Sur; Dagupan City in Pangasinan; Iva, Zambales; San Jose, Mindoro Occidential; Metro Manila; Ambulong in Batangas; and Iloilo City.

In Metro Manila, there are three weather stations: Pagasa Science Garden, Quezon City; Port Area in Manila; and in Sangley Point, Cavite.

The dominant weather system in the country must be the southwest monsoon before the start of the rainy season can be declared.

High temperatures are also expected to drop as the rainy season nears, Galang said. JE/rga

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