Summer is here - Pagasa

MANILA, Philippines -  Put on your shades, sunblock and other sun protection as summer has officially started, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) announced yesterday.

Pagasa acting administrator Nathaniel Servando said

the weather bureau noted a rise in daytime temperatures over the past days due to the prevalence of the easterly wind.

Servando said the prevalence of the easterly wind is the criterion for declaring the onset of the dry or summer season in the country, particularly in areas under Type I climate.

Areas under Type I climate include Metro Manila, Ilocos region, western part of Mountain Province, western part of Nueva Ecija, Central Luzon, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Bataan, Zambales, Occidental Mindoro, southern parts of Antique and Iloilo, northwestern part of Palawan, and the southern parts of Negros Oriental and Negros Occidental.

“The daily temperature recorded in most parts of the country has gradually risen and the establishment of the North Pacific High favors the shift of the wind direction from northeasterly to easterly and southeasterly over most parts of the country,” Servando said in a statement.

“The shift of wind pattern signifies the start of warmer days ahead,” he said.

Servando said generally good weather condition will prevail in most parts of the country aside from isolated to scattered afternoon rainshowers and thunderstorms, particularly over the Visayas and Mindanao due to the expected oscillation of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and passage of easterly wave.

However, he said there are times that the strong easterly wind will prevail, particularly over eastern Luzon and Visayas associated with moderate to rough coastal waters.

Servando maintained this year’s summer season is expected to be cooler than last year due to the prevailing La Niña phenomenon.

Servando said the La Niña event is likely to bring light rains in some parts of the country this summer.

He said the maximum temperature is expected to reach 35 degrees Celsius this year, lower than the 39 degrees Celsius recorded in Tuguegarao last year. The highest temperature recorded in Metro Manila in 2010 was 37 degrees Celsius, he said.

PAGASA officials had said the La Niña is expected to end in May but there is a lag time of three months.

La Niña refers to the abnormal cooling of the sea surface temperature in the equatorial Pacific and is commonly associated with excessive rainfall.

Good for the health

Meantime, government health experts yesterday said sweating helps the body to cool down and prevent a person from suffering heat stroke, a common ailment during summertime.

“A person should be concerned when he is no longer perspiring or sweating because it could be an indication that he is already suffering from heat stroke,” said Dr. Eric Tayag, chief of the Department of Health-National Epidemiology Center.

Tayag cautioned the public, particularly the elderly, on the symptoms of heat stroke such as dizziness, nausea as well as headache.

“We are particularly reminding the elderly because they might think the symptoms are those of hypertension and promptly take anti-hypertensive drugs when they are actually suffering from heat stroke,” Tayag said.

Other symptoms of heat stroke include a body temperature of 41 degrees Celsius, rapid heartbeat, convulsions and delirium, plus the person could also fall unconscious.

Tayag said people manifesting symptoms of heat stroke or heat exhaustion should immediately go to the nearest hospital or seek medical treatment because the condition can be deadly.

Tayag said heat exhaustion is an emergency that requires immediate medical attention.

According to Tayag, they have no official data on the incidence of heat stroke in the country, but the ailment already caused a number of deaths.

To avoid heat stroke, Tayag advised the public to drink lots of water and to avoid too much exposure to the sun.

“Going under the sun can be fun, but it can also be dangerous to your health,” he said.

Tayag also reminded the public to take the necessary precautions against other common summer diseases like sunburn, sore eyes, diarrhea, asthma and dog bite. With Mayen Jaymalin