The warm and dry season has started as the cold weather associated with the northeast monsoon or “amihan” season ended, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced last March 21.
But it’s not called “summer,” a PAGASA weather specialist emphasized days before the announcement of the official start of the season. The Philippines has only two seasons — the rainy season, from June to November, and the dry season, from December to May. The term summer is used in countries that experience four seasons, namely winter, spring, autumn, and summer, the weather specialist explained.
Warm weather means temperatures around 25 degrees Celsius, while hot or dry weather is when temperatures are around 35 degrees Celsius, the weather agency said.
The dry and warm season is expected to last until May.
The announcement which is usual at this time of the year, was given some color with the clarification of terms – we do not have a summer season but a “warm and dry season.” Time will tell if that misnomer will be corrected in the usual terms that are related to the hot months, such as “summer vacation,” “summer sale,” “summer heat.”
The fact remains that the coming months will bring high temperatures and people will need to pay more attention to things that are routine, such as one’s water intake.
“The public is advised to take precautionary measures to minimize heat stress and optimize the daily use of water for personal and domestic consumption,” PAGASA said.
PAGASA will be releasing daily reports on the heat index to guide the public. The heat index refers to the temperature that people feel, based on the air temperature and humidity. It’s what the term “feels like temperature” means. (Air temperature is different from heat index).
On March 24, 2023, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, registered a heat index of 46 degrees Celsius, in PAGASA’s Maximum Heat Index report. Meanwhile, Roxas City in Capiz, Dauis in Bohol, and Butuan City in Agusan del Norte, registered a heat index of 43 degrees Celsius.
NAIA in Pasay City, Masbate City and Dipolog in Zamboanga del Norte registered 42 degrees Celsius heat index.
And the warm and dry season has just started. The Holy Week will start soon, and that is perceived as – or “feels like” – the hottest days of the year.
Warm and dry season, or summer, we are expected to act as responsible members of a community to conserve resources to prevent the inconveniences and ill effects of shortage.
This action is more urgent today because of climate change and the need for all of humanity to do its share to help keep the world from getting warmer.
One, since there will be a greater demand for electricity to cool houses and commercial establishments, we should do our share to save electricity to conserve our “thin power reserves.”
Two, there will be an increased demand for water not only for hydration but also for personal hygiene, pets, plants and gardens. Let us not wait for government to pass regulations that would limit our use of water for watering plants, washing vehicles, or filling swimming pools.
This season, popularly known as summer, should be a time to act as a member of a community. Help conserve our resources.