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Friday, March 29, 2024

PH rainy season could start next week—PAGASA

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The start of the country’s rainy season may be declared next week – just as the strongest storm in the world this year barrels into the country’s area of responsibility, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said Friday.

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

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

She noted that the rainy season differs from the southwest monsoon, locally known as “habagat.”

“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,” she said.

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“By next week, it’s possible that we will declare the onset of the rainy season,” Cayanan added.

Super Typhoon Mawar, to be called “Betty” when it enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility next week, may downgrade into typhoon category as it approaches Batanes but could still bring strong winds.

“It may weaken into a typhoon before it goes near Batanes, but a typhoon is still strong. Don’t think that it’s weak as this could trigger strong winds that could hit trees and roofs,” Cayanan said in a press conference.

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