PAGASA revises rainfall warning system, changes code green to orange

(Updated 8:50 a.m.) - PAGASA revised its rainfall warning system as of 7:55 a.m. Thursday, changing the Green warning signal to Orange warning signal.

This is to inform the public that the Code GREENin the PAGASA Rainfall Warning Systemis changed to ORANGE (cont) tl.gd/ioaii2 — PAGASA-DOST (@dost_pagasa) August 8, 2012    

 

 

 

“Yellow means awareness, Orange must mean preparedness, and Red means [emergency],” Venus Valdemoro of the PAGASA Public Information Unit, said.

 

Valdemoro told GMA News Online in a phone interview that they changed the code from Green to Orange after receiving feedback from the public that the codes cause confusion.

 

"The research group deemed Orange is more appropriate to denote the varying intensity of the rain," said Valdemoro.

 

PAGASA devised a three-level Rainfall Warning System, currently in operation for Metro Manila, to alert the public of the intensity of the rainfall and inform them of any possible flood or other hazards brought about by the precipitation. The original colors assigned for warning were Yellow for monitoring; Green for alert; and Red for evacuation.

• Yellow: indicates 7.5 to 15 mm (heavy) rain in the last hour and likely in the next two hours, and possible flooding. The public is asked to monitor weather conditions.
• Orange: indicates 15 to 30 mm (intense) rain in the last hour and likely in the next two hours, and that flooding is "threatening." The public is asked to be alert for possible evacuation.
• Red: indicates more than 30 mm of rain in the last hour and likely in the next two hours, and that serious flooding in low-lying areas may occur. The public is asked to evacuate.

The Rainfall Warning System is part of the two-phase program of PAGASA to improve its weather alerts. –KG/HS, GMA News