PAGASA confirms onset of rainy season

Satellite image as of May 31, 2017 courtesy PAGASA DOST
Satellite image as of May 31, 2017. (courtesy PAGASA DOST)

(Eagle News) — The country’s weather bureau has confirmed the onset of the rainy season after recording the “occurrence of widespread rainfall” in most of its stations in the last five days.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that there had been “intermittent to continuous rains and thunderstorms” that it had monitored in the past few days.

“The occurrence of widespread rainfall recorded in most PAGASA stations monitored in the last five days under Type 1 Climate confirms the onset of the rainy season,” the PAGASA statement said.

“Intermittent to continuous rains and thunderstorms, associated with the Southwest Monsoon, will continue to affect Metro Manila and the western section of the country,” it said.

On Tuesday night, May 30, thunderstorms affected most of Metro Manila causing traffic and gutter deep-floods in some areas, including low-lying areas of Quezon City.

Today, Wednesday (May 31) PAGASA forecasts “cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and thunderstorms” that will be experienced over the
provinces of Ilocos, Cagayan and Batanes.

“Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with rainshowers or thunderstorms will prevail over Metro Manila and the rest of the country,” it said.

“Moderate to occasionally strong winds blowing from the Southwest will prevail over extreme northern Luzon and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to occasionally rough. Elsewhere, winds will light to moderate coming from the southeast to south with slight to moderate seas,” it added.