PAGASA warns of re-emergent La Niña

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned the public yesterday of above normal rainfall during the “ber-months” due to the La Niña phenomenon reemerging in the Pacific Ocean.

“Please be informed that La Niña, as per US NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), has reemerged in the tropical Pacific Ocean. (It was) forecast to gradually strengthen and continue into winter. If there will be no change, expect heavy downpours in Southeast Asia and Australia, colder winter in northwest US,” PAGASA supervising undersecretary Graciano Yumul said in a text message.

Yumul said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, of which PAGASA is a member, is already preparing for the “wetter-than-normal” scenario in the whole country.

Heavy rains are common in the Philippines during La Niña events.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center last week upgraded last month’s La Niña watch to a La Niña advisory.

NOAA said cooler-than-usual Pacific Ocean temperatures that characterize La Niña have been observed, and the condition is expected to strengthen in the coming weeks and months.

The natural phenomenon would be the second straight La Niña year in the Pacific, after a “fairly strong” pattern in 2010-2011, NOAA said, emphasizing that this would be the third La Niña event in the past five years.

La Niña is a natural three- to six-year cycle where sea surface temperatures are lower than normal across the central and eastern Pacific Ocean.

But Yumul said there is nothing unusual with the recurrence of La Niña, saying it happened in the past several years.