Summer over soon

CEBU, Philippines - Summer will soon be over according to the weather bureau in Central Visayas.

Alfredo Quiblat, officer-in-charge of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pag-asa) in Central Visayas said that normally, summer season in the Philippines ends either on the last week of May or in the first week of June.

Quiblat said that PAGASA can only officially declare the onset of rainy season based on three criteria.

First, the eight weather stations in Western Philippines will experience five successive rainy seasons with a measurement of 25 milliliters of rainfall; second, with at least one milliliter of rainfall for three successive days and third, a fully blown winds prevailing in the southwest or habagat.

“If these three criteria are met, that’s the time PAGASA can declare officially the rainy season,” Quiblat told The Freeman.

The eight weather stations classified under Type I Climate are located in Laoag, Vigan, Dagupan, Mindoro Occidental, Ambulong, Iloilo, Metro Manila and Iba, Zambales.

Metro Manila’s three stations are located in Sangley Point, Science Garden in Quezon City and in the Port Area. At least two of these have to experience the three criteria before the rainy season can be declared.

“These eight weather stations are very pronounced whether the country is experiencing wet or dry season,” Quiblat added.

PAGASA has officially declared March 18 as the start of summer season.

The highest temperature registered in Cebu was 34.3 degrees Celsius. (FREEMAN)