PAGASA declares end of monsoon

MANILA, Philippines — The southwest monsoon season has officially ended, following a gradual shift in the prevailing weather pattern in recent days, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration announced yesterday.

PAGASA said it observed the strengthening of a high-pressure system over East Asia, the southward migration of the intertropical convergence zone and the notable weakening of winds and decreased rainfall brought by the southwest monsoon.

“This also marks the termination of the rainy season over the western sections of Luzon and the Visayas,” PAGASA said.

Despite this, the southern section of the country may experience rainfall due to the tropical cyclone outside the Philippine area of responsibility.

Super Typhoon Choi-wan was spotted 2,605 kilometers east-northeast of extreme northern Luzon, packing winds of 195 kms per hour and gusts of 240 kph.
The tropical cyclone is still unlikely to enter PAR as it moves generally northward at 20 kph, the state weather bureau said.

PAGASA said the trough of Choi-wan will bring cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms in Mindanao, Western Visayas, Negros Island Region, Central Visayas, Leyte and Southern Leyte.

Meanwhile, partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms will be experienced in Metro Manila and the rest of the country due to localized thunderstorms.