Metro Manila haze linked to end of Habagat season — PAGASA

The haze that covered parts of Metro Manila on early Thursday has something to do with the end of the Southwest Monsoon or Habagat season, PAGASA said.

The state weather bureau explained that the haze, or the pollution suspended in the air, was caused by a thermal inversion.

“Nagkaroon ng thermal inversion ngayong umaga. Ibig sabihin nito medyo mas mainit ang hangin natin on a higher level, so 500 meters to be exact. Medyo mas mataas ang kanyang temperatura kumpara sa  temperatura ng hangin sa baba, sa surface level. As a result,  nata-trap yung air pollutants dito sa ground,” said weather specialist Loriedin Galicia in Dano Tingcungco's report on 24 Oras.

(We experienced a thermal inversion this morning. This means that we had warmer air on a higher level, at 500 meters above to be exact. So we had a higher temperature compared to the temperature below at surface level. As a result, the pollutants were trapped closer to ground level.)

“Supposedly, dapat mas mainit ng bahagya yung  hangin sa ground, as you go higher, lumalamig siya,” she added.

(Supposedly, the air temperature on the ground level is slightly warmer and as you go higher, it should be cooler.) 

With the end of the Habagat season, PAGASA said that the country is now transitioning to the Northeast Monsoon or Amihan season. —Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News