Intense heat in March ‘normal’ as PH starts transition to dry season — PAGASA

The extreme temperatures hitting the country this time of year are fairly normal as the country starts to transition from rainy to dry season, state weather bureau PAGASA said Monday.

PAGASA weather specialist Ana Clauren-Jorda explained that the Northeast Monsoon or “Amihan” may last until mid-March, prompting the shift to the warm and dry season.

“Usually naman, kapag ganitong panahon ng Marso ay unti-unting na rin talaga natin na nararanasan itong mainit na panahon. Sa ngayon, kumbaga nagkakaroon lang tayo ng mga breaks doon sa Amihan natin dahil nga transition period tayo. So, halos normal naman na nagiging mainit ‘yung panahon natin kapag ganitong panahon na ng Marso kung saan papunta na tayo doon sa dry season,” Clauren-Jorda said in an Unang Balita interview.

(Usually, when it's March, we're really starting to experience hot weather. Right now, we are just having breaks in the Northeast Monsoon because we are in a transition period. It’s normal that our weather becomes hot this time of March where we're heading into the dry season.)

The following areas are forecast to experience heat indices in PAGASA's "danger" range on Monday, March 3:

• Science Garden Quezon City - 46°C
• Clark Airport, Pampanga - 46°C
• CLSU Muñoz, Nueva Ecija - 45°C

Heat index is the measure of the temperature that a person feels, which is different from the actual air temperature. It is computed by factoring in the humidity as well as the air temperature.

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Due to the high heat index, some local government units and schools suspended face-to-face classes.

While the country is still in the normal range of transition to dry season, Clauren-Jorda said the Northeast Monsoon may affect the country again by Thursday or Friday and may bring in cooler weather, particularly in Northern and Central Luzon and may even reach Southern Luzon, including Metro Manila.

“Sa kasalukuyan kasi, easterlies o ‘yung mainit na hangin mula sa Karagatang Pasipiko ‘yung dominanteng weather system na makakaapekto sa ating bansa. So ito rin ‘yung magdadala ng mainit na panahon, mainit na bugso ng hangin hindi lang dito sa ka-Maynilaan, pati na rin po sa ibang bahagi pa ng ating kapulaan,” she said.

(Currently, the easterlies or the warm air from the Pacific Ocean is the dominant weather system that will affect our country. This will bring the hot weather and warm air not only here in Manila, but also in other parts of the country.)

“Ito rin po ‘yung magdadala kung bakit mainit ‘yung ating panahon na nararanasan sa kasalukuyan at wala tayong umiiral kasi na Amihan kaya mainit na panahon ang ating mararanasan at nasa transition na rin tayo sa dry season kaya unti-unti ay papa-init ‘yung ating panahon na mararanasan ngayong araw at sa mga susunod,” she added.

(This is also the reason why our weather is currently hot and we also don't have the Northeast Monsoon, so we will really experience hot weather. We are also in transition to the dry season, so our weather will gradually get warmer now and in the days to come.)

According to Clauren-Jorda, PAGASA is not currently monitoring any low pressure area that may enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility or affect the country in the next five days. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News