The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said no tropical cyclones are expected to enter or develop within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) for the remainder of May. 

As of Thursday, May 22, PAGASA weather specialist Benison Estareja said the country will likely experience rainy conditions in Mindanao, parts of the Visayas, and Palawan, while the rest of the country is expected to have generally fair weather in the coming days.

From Friday to Monday, May 23 to 26, Estareja said the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) will continue to bring scattered rain showers and thunderstorms to Mindanao and portions of the Visayas and Palawan.

Residents in these areas, especially those who have experienced heavy rainfall in the past few days, are advised to remain alert for possible flash floods and landslides.

Meanwhile, warm and humid weather is expected to persist in the rest of the country due to the prevailing easterlies, or warm winds from the Pacific Ocean.

Despite the generally fair weather, brief rain showers and localized thunderstorms may still occur, especially in the afternoon or evening.

The public is urged to stay vigilant, as severe thunderstorms may also trigger flash floods and landslides.

Rainy season not yet here

Estareja explained that due to the continued dominance of the easterlies, the onset of the rainy season is not yet expected. 

However, he noted that PAGASA is closely monitoring the development of the southwesterly wind flow, which could begin to set in around May 29. 

Once the southwesterly wind flow becomes dominant, PAGASA will observe whether it is accompanied by widespread rainfall over at least five consecutive days, which is one of the key criteria for officially declaring the start of the rainy season. 

Depending on how soon these conditions are met, Estareja said the rainy season could begin in the first few days of June or extend into the second week of the month.