Cooler summer this year – PAGASA

THIS year’s summer season is expected to be cooler than last year due to the prevailing La
Niña phenomenon.

Robert Sawi, weather section chief of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and
Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said the La Niña event is likely to bring
rains in the country during the summer months of April and May.

“Precisely this coming summer season will be cooler than last year… the (La Niña) rains
could slightly disperse heat,” he said.

Sawi said Pagasa expects the highest daytime temperature to reach 35 degrees Celsius this
year, compared to the 39 degrees Celsius recorded last year in Isabela province.

Pagasa earlier warned the country might experience a wet summer this year because of the
La Niña.

Sawi, however, clarified this does not mean it will be raining the whole summer. “We can
expect more rainy days (this summer) compared to the normal,” he said.

La Niña refers to the abnormal cooling of the sea surface temperature in the equatorial
Pacific and is characterized by excessive rainfall. (PIA)

Cool weather ends this month

THE state weather bureau suggested that Filipinos enjoy the cool weather this month while it
lasts as higher temperatures are expected by March.

Robert Sawi, weather branch chief of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and
Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said the northeast monsoon – the system
that brings rain and cool weather to the country – is expected to end this February.

Sawi said the public can expect gradually increasing temperatures in the coming days.

Sawi, meanwhile, said Pagasa expects a normal onset of the summer season for the areas
under Type I climate which includes Metro Manila Ilocos Region, western part of Mountain
Province, western part of Nueva Ecija, Central Luzon, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Tarlac,
Pampanga, Bulacan, Bataan, Zambales, Occidental Mindoro, southern parts of Antique and
Iloilo, northwestern part of Palawan, and the southern parts of Negros Oriental and Negros
Occidental.

Areas under Type I climate have two pronounced seasons – dry from November to April and
wet during the rest of the year. Its maximum rain period is from June to September.

Although there will be rains during the dry season due to lingering La Nina phenomenon, high
temperatures are still expected during summer, Sawi said. (PIA)

NDRRMC nangandam na sa pag-abot ni ‘Katring’

ANG mga opisyal sa National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC)
nangandam na sa ilang mga contingency measures sa pag-abot sa usa na usab ka
posibleng bagyo nga ‘Katring’.

Sa usa ka radio interview, si NDRRMC executive director Benito Ramos ni ingon nga anaa
pa sila sa red alert status karon human sa pagbiya sa bagyong ‘Juan” ug nangandam sa
posibleng pag-abot ni ‘Katring’ sa mosunod nga mga adlaw.

Matud pa ni Ramos nga sa bagyong ‘Juan’, nakapangandam usab sila tungod sa padayong
pagpagawas og updates sa status niini sa Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and
Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) nga nakatabang usab og daku sa mga lokal
nga opisyal sa pagpangandam.

Kini usab nahimo tungod sa pagpalihok ni President Benigno Aquino III sa nagkalain-laing
ahensya sa kagamhanan sa pagpangandam sa pag-abot sa bagyong Juan.

Dugang pa ni Ramos nga gi alerto nila ang publiko 72 ka oras sa wala pa ni abot ang
bagyong Juan sa amihanang Luzon sayo ning semanaha. (PIA)

Bag-ong LPA nasigpatan sa sidlakang bahin sa Luzon

NASIGPATAN sa Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration kon PAGASA ang bag-ong low pressure area, nga posibleng mahimong bagyo sa mosunod nga mga adlaw.
Kini ni abot samtang ang bagyong “Domeng” nagkahinay ug nahimo nang tropical depression sayo sa buntag sa Huwebes.
Sa press briefing sa Huwebes sa buntag, ang pangulo sa Pagasa nga si Prisco Nilo ni ingon nga ila nang gi monitor ang bag-ong LPA nga nag sunod sa bagyong ‘Domeng’.
Ang maong LPA nga nasigpatan 940 kilometro sa sidlakang bahin sa Luzon, gihinganlan og “Ester”. (PIA-Bohol)

Malacañang set to review weather forecasting system

MALACAÑANG is set to review the country’s weather forecasting system after President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III admonished the state weather bureau for failing to predict that Typhoon Basyang was headed for Metro Manila.

President Aquino told reporters at Camp Aguinaldo that he wants more “precision” in the way the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) predicts weather movements.

The PAGASA weather bulletin on Tuesday said Basyang would batter Northern and Central Luzon areas, and listed Metro Manila among the areas that would be under Storm Signal No. 1, with 30 to 60 kilometers-per-hour winds. However, the storm hit the metropolis before dawn Wednesday, cutting off power supply in most areas.

“Changes should be known to the public at the earliest possible time,” said Aquino, adding that delays in weather forecast advisories slow down government response.

Aquino said there should also be improvements in the dissemination of information, such as finding ways to inform small-time fishermen who cannot afford radio equipment if there have been changes in the weather so they can immediately go back to shore.

Aquino earlier reprimanded PAGASA for failing to announce that the typhoon would hit hard Metro Manila. (PIA-Bohol)