Hot weather persists due to weak Habagat, easterlies - PAGASA

Hot weather continues to prevail in several parts of the country even during the rainy season because of the weak Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) and easterlies, PAGASA said on Saturday.

"'Pag Habagat season po kailangan may trigger ka. Kailangan may frontal system ka sa taas ng Taiwan o kaya may bagyo ka sa east ng Philippines para ma-enhance niya yung Southwest Monsoon o Habagat. Wala masyadong trigger. 'Pag mahina rin po 'yung Habagat minsan pumapasok din po 'yung tinatawag nating easterlies," said PAGASA weather forecaster Glaiza Escullar in Nico Waje's report on ''24 Oras Weekend."

(During the Habagat season, there must be a trigger. You need to have a frontal system above Taiwan, or you have a tropical cyclone in the east of the Philippines so that it can enhance the Southwest Monsoon or Habagat. There aren't any triggering factors at the moment. If the Southwest Monsoon is weak, the easterlies also come in.)

Easterlies bring warm, moist air from the Pacific Ocean.

Moreover, Escullar said that although the heat index still reaches dangerous levels these days, the temperatures are not as high as they were from March to May.

PAGASA said that the public should expect a stronger Habagat in the next few days.

The Philippines officially entered the wet season on May 29. —Sherylin Untalan/VBL, GMA Integrated News