It’s goodbye to summer

The weather bureau has officially announced the onset of the rainy season although it’s still the southwest monsoon bringing rains particularly in the northernmost areas in Luzon.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) made the announcement in its 24-hour weather update reported 5 p.m. Tuesday.

“It is officially rainy season in the country,” Pagasa forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said in Filipino, warning of rainfall in the western portion of Luzon and Visayas, especially in areas with  “Type 1” climate, including Metro Manila.

Earlier, the Pagasa explained in a press conference that before the onset of the rainy season could be announced in an area, certain criteria must be satisfied, including a five-day period in the month with a total rainfall of 25 mm or more, with three consecutive days having at least a millimeter of rainfall daily.

To declare the onset of the rainy season for the whole country, these criteria should be met by at least five of the Type 1 climate areas in the Philippines, or areas with distinct dry and wet seasons which are mostly in the western section of the country. They are  Laoag, Vigan, Dagupan, Iba, San Jose in Mindoro, Metro Manila, Ambulong and Iloilo.

In a statement from Pagasa administrator Vicente Malano on Tuesday, the weather bureau confirmed the occurrence of “widespread rainfall” in these areas.

With the onset of the wet season, Pagasa predicted that most  of the country is likely to experience near to above normal rainfall conditions for the next two months.

However, breaks in the rain events may also occur, for several days to weeks, due to the persistence of the ridge of the North Pacific high pressure area, Pagasa said.