The Philippines’ state weather bureau, PAGASA, has announced that the La Niña phenomenon is expected to come to an end by February. According to senior weather specialist Chris Perez, the country should experience normal weather conditions by that point.
La Niña is characterized by unusually cool ocean surface temperatures in the Central and Eastern Equatorial Pacific, which can lead to above normal rainfall and potential adverse impacts such as heavy rainfall, floods, flashfloods, and landslides in vulnerable areas.
“Sa ngayon, ang nakakaapekto sa atin ay yung tinatawag nating La Niña kung kaya’t yung ilang bahagi ng ating bansa ay nakararanas ng near to above normal na rainfall during the previous and the current month,” he said.
Perez also noted that PAGASA has not yet seen signs of El Niño, but the agency will continue to monitor the situation. As for the rest of January, Perez stated that 0 to 1 cyclone is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility, and PAGASA is not ruling out the possibility of additional low-pressure areas developing in the country.
“At inaasahan nating itong La Niña posibleng magtapos sa buwan ng Pebrero at onwards ay makakaranas tayo ng neutral… or normal climate condition,” he added.
The inclement weather caused by the low-pressure areas, shear line, and northeast monsoon has already resulted in 10 deaths and 2 missing people, according to the Office of Civil Defense. Additionally, over 106,961 people have been affected by the bad weather in various regions of the Philippines, with 8,153 individuals or 2,144 families displaced. PAGASA urged the public to take necessary precautions and to continue monitoring weather updates.
