Days and weeks of record-breaking high temperatures may soon come to an end as tropical storm "Chedeng"makes it way through the Philippine area of responsibility, signaling the start of the rainy season. In a report in GMA News' '24 Oras" on Monday, weather officials said the storm, which is expected to make landfall on Thursday, could usher in the rainy season as it may bring in the southwestern (habagat) winds. "Napapanahon na ito, yung southwest monsoon season natin... yan ang pinakamaraming number of tropical cyclones... we also expect increased number of rainy days, yung araw na may ulan," said Anthony Lucero of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services (PAGASA).
As of 2 p.m. Monday, "Chedeng" was estimated to be 720 km east of Guiian, Eastern Samar with winds of up 95 kilometers per hour (kph). PAGASA said that the storm may turn into a super typhoon, as it may still gain strength while it has yet to make landfall. Heavy rains are expected by Thursday or Friday, even in areas not hit by the storm.
La Niña In a phone interview with GMA News Online, Lucero said that the country is seeing the tail end of the La Niña phenomenon. Lucero warned that trends indicate that once climate patterns shift from the Niño/La Niña-Southern Oscillation to the regular phase, more storms are to be expected. Last year, 11 cyclones were recorded in the Philippines. For 2011, PAGASA is expecting at least 19 cyclones. The storms could also be as intense as 2009's typhoon "Ondoy," which brought floods in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, resulting in 293 deaths and nearly P4.8 billion in damages. Lucero said coming storms might not necessarily cause the same damage as Ondoy since it would depend on the storm's path and timing. With the forecast, PAGASA has started coordinating with the Department of Agriculture (DA) and National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Center to prepare for the coming rains.
— KBK, GMA News 
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