The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Tuesday afternoon officially declared the termination of the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) season, marked by warm, moist winds from the southwest causing rains over the western portion of the country from May to September.
This likewise signals the end of the rainy season over western Luzon and Visayas.
“Recent observations indicate that the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) has been weakening during the past few weeks,” PAGASA said in a press release.
“Moreover, a gradual change of the country’s weather pattern has been observed due to the strengthening of the high-pressure system over East Asia and the southward migration of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). Forecast models also show this trend in the coming days,” it added.
The Philippines is now transitioning to the Northeast Monsoon (Amihan), a period characterized by cold winds from the northeast that bring rains to the eastern side of the country.
The state weather bureau will observe and declare Amihan in the coming weeks.
PAGASA will continue to monitor the country’s weather and climatic conditions, advising the public and all concerned agencies to monitor relevant information regularly.
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