Warmer temperatures expected during Amihan season as El Niño strengthens — PAGASA

Temperatures are expected to rise later this year as the El Niño climate phenomenon continues to strengthen, PAGASA said Tuesday.

For now, the Southwest Monsoon or Habagat is expected to continue affecting the country in the coming weeks, bringing episodes of heavy rain.

PAGASA Climate Monitoring and Prediction Section chief Ana Liza Solis said the strengthening of the Habagat is among the characteristics associated with the ongoing El Niño.

Meanwhile, areas not directly affected by the Habagat, particularly Mindanao, have been experiencing warmer temperatures, high humidity, and elevated heat indices.

But conditions could change beginning in November.

“After the Habagat, we will gradually see a significant reduction in rainfall. It could start at 40% and reach more than 80% in the coming months, particularly by the end of November,” Solis said on Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon.

The areas in Luzon that were severely affected by the Habagat are also among those that could potentially experience meteorological drought, Solis said. Areas in the Visayas and Mindanao could also be affected.

“In fact, a large part of the country could experience a significant reduction in rainfall until next year,” Solis said.

El Niño could also affect the country's Amihan or Northeast Monsoon season, which typically runs from October to March.

This means the usual cool breeze during the Amihan season may be less pronounced than in previous years, according to a report by Ivan Mayrina on 24 Oras on Tuesday.

Solis said the country could also experience record-high daytime and nighttime temperatures, as well as elevated heat index, particularly as the warm and dry season approaches next year.

PAGASA has begun coordinating with the agriculture and health departments to prepare for the possible effects of extreme heat.

El Niño is a recurring climate phenomenon characterized by unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific, typically linked to weakened trade winds. It occurs every two to seven years and can last for up to a year.

Last week, the World Meteorological Organization warned that El Niño could persist through February 2027 and could become the strongest on record, fueled by exceptionally warm Pacific Ocean temperatures. — VBL, GMA News