MANILA, Philippines – The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) declared on Friday, March 22, 2024, the beginning of 'summer' season following the termination of the 'amihan' or the northeast monsoon season.
"Today, we officially declare the start of the Philippine summer based on analysis of latest forecast," said PAGASA chief Dr. Nathaniel Servando in a press briefing.
"We expect [that] the number of warm and dryer days will increase in the coming weeks and in the coming months," he added.
Technically, there are only two seasons in the country: wet or rainy (June to November) and dry (December to May). Filipinos, however, refer to the dry season as "summer time."
The dry season is subdivided further into (a) the cool dry season, from December to February; and (b) the hot dry season, from March to May.
Among the indications of the start of the season was the “retreat of the high pressure area over Siberia, which resulted in the weakening of northeasterly winds and an increase in the air temperature over most parts of the country and the strengthening of the North Pacific High has led to a gradual shift in the wind pattern from northeasterly to easterly.”
The state weather bureau said that the warm and dry season is expected to last until May.
PAGASA advised the public to take precautionary measures to mitigate the impact of warm season including the risk of heat stroke.
— The Summit Express
