Filtered By: Topstories
News

El Niño finally over; 2 cyclones expected in June


After almost a year, the El Niño weather phenomenon that caused severe dry spells in the country is finally over, state weather forecasters said Thursday. But the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the rainy season is not due to start until middle of this month. It also warned that the second half of 2010 may see heavy rains from the La Niña phenomenon. "The El Niño event that prevailed over the equatorial Pacific since June 2009 has ended. The sea surface temperatures throughout the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean have gradually cooled during May, resulting in neutral conditions," it said in its final El Niño advisory posted Thursday night on its website. PAGASA also warned that despite the end of El Niño, temperatures will still be "slightly warmer than normal" in most parts of the country this month. It also advised Filipinos Thursday to brace for up to two cyclones that may enter Philippine territory, although the rainy season is not expected until mid-June. "The onset of the rainy season in areas under Type I climate which is associated with the southwest monsoon is expected during the early part or middle of June," it said. Rainfall will likely be near normal in most parts of the country with some areas in Visayas and Mindanao likely to receive below normal rainfall, it added. For June, PAGASA said weather systems likely to affect the country include the southwest monsoon, ridge of a high-pressure area, inter-tropical convergence zone, and "one or two tropical cyclones." "Air temperatures are expected to be slightly warmer than normal in most parts of the country," it said. It said temperatures may range between 23 and 35 degrees Celsius over the lowlands of Luzon, 17 to 25 degrees for the mountainous areas of Luzon, 23 to 33 degrees for Visayas, 23 to 34 degrees over the lowlands of Mindanao, and 19 to 30 degrees over the mountainous areas of Mindanao. PAGASA said weather systems that affected the country during May included the tail-end of a cold front, an intertropical convergent zone, easterly wave and a low-pressure area. It added the effect of the ridge of HPA resulted to below normal rainfall conditions in Central and Southern Luzon and Visayas. - KBK, GMANews.TV

LOADING CONTENT