MANILA, Philippines – Although the hot weather will remain until mid-May, the rainy season will also start soon, the state weather bureau said.
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) weather forecaster Nikos Penaranda said the inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ), or the thick clouds coming from the south of Asia, is now slowly moving up north and will eventually induce the southwest monsoon that will brings rains and storms to the country starting the third or last week of May.
He said best evidence of the looming rainy weather is the low pressure area that was recently spotted in Southern Mindanao.
“Kung naiinitan kayo at sinusumpa niyo, malapit niyo na ring sumpain ang mga bagyo at tag-ulan,” said Penaranda.
On Tuesday noon, some parts of Metro Manila, like Quezon City, experienced pockets of rain that Penaranda said are minor indications of the coming rainy season.
Several residents went out of their houses and took advantage of the rain that fell hard for about 30 minutes.
They said it was a welcome respite from the heat they have been experiencing for the past weeks.
“Sa panahon ngayon sobrang init, ngayon lang umulan unang araw pa ng Mayo,” a resident said.
“Sobrang init, para matanggal init, unang ulan eh,” said another resident.
PAGASA, however, said the rains only trickle for short periods of time.
“Dadalas, araw-araw may mga pulu-pulong pag-ulan pero hindi lahat uulanin,” Penaranda said.
Hotter days ahead
PAGASA said that for the next two weeks, the country should still brace itself for hotter days with temperatures that may even surpass 37 degrees Celcius.
“Kung hindi magbabago pattern, maabot natin ang 37, ang highest temperature dati ay May 4, ngayon april 30, most probably maabot natin 37 o baka higher pa,” said Marlyn Medina, chief meteorological officer.
Penaranda, for his part, doubts the possibility of thermometer readings reaching 38 degrees Celcius.
“Pwede umabot ng 37 point something, pero 30 mataas na po ‘yun, dahil inaasahan na ‘yung pagpasok ng ulan, maliit na po ang tsansa,” he said.
Metro Manila weather
In urban areas like Metro Manila, the feeling of heat is even greater than what their temperatures would say because of the environmental conditions that increase heat in certain areas.
“Sa Makati, pagnaglalakad ka sa bangketa, puro semento ‘yun, higit pa sa 36 degrees ‘yun, aabot ng 39 degrees kasi puro konkreto,” Penaranda said.
He also said concrete absorbs heat faster than any materials around.
He added that pollution produced from the emission of vehicles also contributes to a hotter weather at the National Capital Region.
“’Yung init imbes na nakakawala nata-trap siya sa area, nagiging mini-greenhouse area,” he said.
Other parts of Metro Manila did not experience rains on Tuesday but had cloudy skies most of the time that kept the heat at tolerable level.
Renato Barsagi and his neighbors were out on the street the whole afternoon trying to cool themselves with ice candy.
“Sobrang init, ‘di na kaya ng ibang tao, ‘yung iba nga naii-stroke eh. Eto ice candy na lang,” said Barsagi.
Temperature rising in PH
PAGASA also said global warming or climate change may also be a factor in the increasing heat experienced in the country.
The latest report published by the Asian Development Bank revealed that temperatures are rising in the Philippines.
The annual average temperature rose at a rate of 0.65 °C during 1951 to 2010, or an average of 0.0108 °C annually.
The rate of increase in temperature during the last 30 years (0.0164°C per year) is also faster than the long-term rate of increase.
The number of hot days and warm nights is increasing, and the number of cold days and cool nights is decreasing.
'No heat wave'
PAGASA, however, dispelled the notion of a heat wave in the country.
Penaranda said the heat wave by definition is consecutive days of hot weather with at least 3 degrees centigrade higher than the normal level.
For the Philippines to be considered under a heat wave, he said, the country must have 38 degrees or higher temperatures for three days or more.
Meanwhile, Luzon's water reservoir is already experiencing some depletion in water resources.
But the weather bureau said it is still far from reaching an alarming level.
Based on the latest figures, only San Roque Dam went below critical level with its reservoir posted at negative 3.58 meters.
Also on the brink is Ambuklao Dam with only 2.71 meters before getting into its critical level, while Pantabangan is at 2.27 meters.
Angat Dam, which supplies water to the NCR, is still far from being critical with still 14.04 meters before getting to that level, while Magat is at 13.26 meters and Binga at 9.86 meters before reaching an alarming level.
Penaranda said that since their models show that rainy season will be as early as mid-May, they don't expect the dams to run dry.
Source: Abs-cbn News
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