Warm and humid this week

MANILA, Philippines - It’s not yet summer, but brace for warm and humid weather this week, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) advised the public yesterday.

PAGASA weather division chief Robert Sawi said the easterlies or warm and humid air from the Pacific Ocean would prevail over most parts of the country in the next few days.

But the weather bureau has not yet officially declared the start of summer in the country.

“We expect temperatures to increase gradually, and anytime now or in the next two weeks we may declare the start of summer,” Sawi said.

PAGASA declares the start of summer once the easterlies become the dominant weather system in the country. The weather bureau declared the onset of summer last year on March 18.

The cold northeast monsoon continued to affect Luzon and the Visayas yesterday.

Sawi, on the other hand, said no weather disturbance is likely to affect the country in the next five days.

“We expect good weather all over the country, aside from isolated rains and thunderstorms over Southern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao,” he said.

PAGASA earlier said no El Niño is expected to affect the country during the summer months.

El Niño pertains to the warming of at least 0.5 degrees Celsius in the equatorial Pacific and is characterized by below normal rainfall.

Anthony Lucero, PAGASA senior weather specialist, said global climate forecasts showed neutral condition until summer of this year.