Low pressure area may usher in rainy season

A low pressure area over the Pacific Ocean is likely to enter the Philippine area of responsibility this weekend and can trigger the onset of the rainy season, the weather bureau said yesterday.

Weather forecaster Jori Loiz of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the weather disturbance was spotted 1,500 kilometers east of the country as of yesterday morning.

Loiz said the weather bureau would officially declare the start of the rainy season once the southwest monsoon sets in, as he noted that rains from the low-pressure area must fill the required 25-millimeter rainfall in at least three PAGASA stations nationwide for three consecutive days.

Loiz said the low-pressure area would be named “Dante” once it intensifies into a tropical cyclone.

Meanwhile, Loiz said they are also monitoring another low- pressure area which could develop from the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) this weekend.

The ITCZ has been prevailing over Mindanao in the past few days, bringing rains over the region and some parts of the Visayas.

PAGASA declared the onset of the rainy season last year on May 31.

The rainy season in the western section of the country, which includes Metro Manila, usually starts between the second half of May and first week of June.