Expect more rain – Pagasa

Expect more frequent early morning and late afternoon rain showers and thunderstorms in the coming days due to the prevailing southwesterly wind flow, which means that the rainy season is approaching, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

PAGASA said the southwesterly wind flow has been dominant over the West Philippine Sea for several days now due to the formation of a semipermanent trough over Northern Luzon-Taiwan area and the eastward migration of the North Pacific high pressure area, which are the prominent indicators of the onset of the southwest monsoon or habagat season in the country.

Weather Forecasting Section chief Robert Sawi pointed out that the start of southwest monsoon does not necessarily mean that it is also the start of rainy season. It just means that rainy season is imminent. "This is just the start of frequent early morning and late afternoon rain showers and thunderstorms. When it becomes a full-blown southwest monsoon, then we can declare the start of rainy season," he explained.

"The southwesterly wind flow is just the first ingredient to the onset of rainy season,” said Analiza Solis, OIC of the Climate Monitoring and Prediction Section.

Based on the prevailing weather patterns and monitoring, the onset of rainy season this year will commence between May 28 and June 8, which is within normal period, she added.

Solis explained that the declaration of the onset of rainy season is important especially to the country's agriculture sector.

It is expected that during the remaining days of May, light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms in most parts of Luzon and Visayas will be experienced in the coming months due to the southwest monsoon.