Most of the country will have hot and humid morning with localized thunderstorms in the afternoon or evening, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Tuesday, May 17.
PAGASA warned against severe thunderstorms that may cause flash floods or landslides in vulnerable areas.
Severe thunderstorms are often associated with bursts of heavy rainfall, lightning, thunder, gusty winds, and sometimes hail.
The occurrence of thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening is becoming more frequent as the country’s climate begins its transition to southwest monsoon season, locally called “habagat.”
“Yun po ay mga senyales na posibleng malapit na ang ating tag-ulan (The rains are signs that the rainy season could be near),” according to Ana Liza Solis, chief of the PAGASA’s Climate Monitoring and Prediction Section, in an interview with DZBB on Monday evening, May 16.
“Mayroon tayong tinatawag na established criteria para ma-declare natin ang onset ng rainy season natin. Sa monitoring ng PAGASA, hindi pa nasa-satisfy ang criteria na yun (We have established criteria for the declaration of the onset of our rainy season. Based on PAGASA’s monitoring, those criteria have not been satisfied yet),” Solis explained.
Meanwhile, in the next 24 hours, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and Ilocos Norte will have cloudy skies and rains due to the frontal system.
PAGASA also warned against possible flash floods or landslides because of the occurrence of moderate to heavy rains.