PAGASA issues El Niño alert
Is the heat index in your area uncomfortably high? The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration raised an alert for El Niño, which has a high possibility of developing in the second half of the year.
The state weather bureau released a statement on Wednesday, April 22, noting that most climate models with the expert's assessment see a 79% chance of El Niño to begin in June-July-August this year, and may last until early 2027.
El Niño is the warm phase of the El Niño Southern Oscillation, characterized by unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean.
Per PAGASA, an El Niño Alert is issued when there is at least a 70% chance of El Niño developing within the next two to three months.
It explained that during this phenomenon, there's a high chance of dry spells and droughts in certain parts of the country. On the other hand, some western parts of the country may still experience heavy rainfall during the Southwest Monsoon or habagat season.
On April 22, Aparri, Cagayan, recorded a 42°C heat index, placing it under the "danger" category.
PAGASA noted that it will continue to closely monitor the development of El Niño. It also advised all concerned government agencies and the public to continue monitoring and to take precautionary measures against the possible impacts of the developing El Niño.
This came almost a month after the weather bureau raised El Niño watch in March, shortly after La Niña ended on March 9.
In 2024, El Niño had a major impact on the Philippines’ agriculture and poultry sectors, leading to declines in both production volume and size. Over 50 provinces were also affected by drought and dry conditions during this period.
