Philippines’ rainy season may start next week — PAGASA

The start of the Philippine rainy season may be declared next week, state weather bureau PAGASA said Friday. 

At a press conference, PAGASA Deputy Administrator for Research and Development Esperanza Cayanan said the rainy season would be declared when the rainfall criteria in PAGASA’s reference station are observed and fulfilled.

"Nandito na yung criteria ng rainfall sa mga reference stations natin and malamang makukuha na ‘yung requirement na ulan. So nakikita natin sa ngayon na ‘yung next week, ito na ‘yung possibleng magdeklara tayo ng rainy season,” said Cayanan.

[We now have the rainfall criteria in our reference stations and most probably, we would be getting the required amount of rainfall. So what we are seeing right now is that, next week, it would be possible to declare the [start of] the rainy season.]

She noted that the rainy season differs from the Southwest Monsoon, locally known as Habagat.

“Kase meron na tayong southwesterly wind flow, so nagpapakita na nag-aactivate na yung soutwest monsoon. Pero yung rainy season kasi is based on the rainfall criteria. Mas malawak yung area na dapat na nakakareceive ng pag-ulan,” she said.

[We have the southwesterly wind flow, indicating the Southwest Monsoon. But the rainy season is based on the rainfall criteria. There should be large area receiving rainfall.]

“So by next week, early next week, possibleng na tayong magdeklara ng onset ng rainy season,” she added.

[So by next week, it’s possible that we will declare the onset of the rainy season.]

— RSJ, GMA Integrated News