Commuters try to catch a ride after a thunderstorm in Cubao Quezon City on June 6, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File

Commuters try to catch a ride after a thunderstorm in Cubao Quezon City on June 6, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News

Cubao

Ariel Rojas

ABS-CBN News

<div><span dir="ltr" id="isPasted"></span></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/171578585256220230606-commuters-rain-cubao-JC-2.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt="Commuters try to catch a ride after a thunderstorm in Cubao Quezon City on June 6, 2023. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Commuters try to catch a ride after a thunderstorm in Cubao Quezon City on June 6, 2023. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></span></span></span></div><p>QUEZON CITY - State meteorologists said that the frequent afternoon and evening thunderstorms signal the transition from the warm and dry season to the rainy season in the Philippines. </p><p>Since the beginning of May, northern and central Luzon as well as Mindanao have been experiencing thunderstorms. </p><p>However, senior weather specialist Rusy Abastillas of the Climate Monitoring and Prediction Section said it will take more than thunderstorms to declare the start of the rainy season. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/4/26/below-normal-rains-seen-until-july-despite-developing-la-ni-a-pagasa-1533" id="isPasted">Below normal rains seen until July despite La Niña: PAGASA </a> </div><p>&quot;Wala pa tayong westerly component ng wind na minomonitor kasi iyon ang isa sa mga criteria doon sa ating onset [ng rainy season] - dapat merong westerly [winds],&quot; she told ABS-CBN News on Wednesday. </p><p>(There is no westerly wind [southwest monsoon] component yet, which is required for the declaration of the start of the rainy season.) </p><p>Even with the transition already on its way, the beginning of the rainy season may be slightly delayed because of a developing La Niña. </p><p>&quot;Ang impact kasi ng La Niña &#x27;pag pre-developing... transitioning from El Niño to La Niña, &#x27;yung ang nagbibigay minsan ng delay sa onset tapos instead of expecting the above normal rainfall ang ating inaasahan &#x27;pag may La Nina na, below normal during the Habagat season,&quot; Abastillas said. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/3/26/62-pct-chance-of-la-ni-a-in-june-dost-1301" id="isPasted">62 pct chance of La Niña in June: DOST </a> </div><p>She said the onset of the rainy season may happen in June, instead of the second half of May. </p><p>In an advisory issued on May 6, PAGASA said El Niño continues to weaken and may move to a neutral condition around June before shifting to La Niña by July. </p><p>Abastillas however said an updated forecast shows that the climate phenomenon may also be delayed and come in around July-August-September season. </p><p>El Niño and La Niña are the warm and cold phases, respectively, of a naturally occurring climate pattern called El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). </p><p>ENSO is exhibited through changes in the wind strength and direction and sea surface temperatures of tropical Pacific Ocean with wide-ranging impacts on global climate. </p><p>In the Philippines, El Niño leads to less rains and storms while La Niña, above-normal rains and more tropical cyclones forming near the country. </p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/2024/3/7/el-ni-o-weakens-la-ni-a-watch-issued-1703" id="isPasted">El Niño weakens; La Niña Watch issued</a> </div><p>So when can the above-normal La Niña rains be expected? </p><p>&quot;Doon na siya magstart na ang impact na above-normal rainfall during the last quarter [of this year] up to the first quarter [of 2025] during Amihan (northeast monsoon) season. Usually doon ang impact ng mas maraming ulan at may mga baha,&quot; Abastillas said. </p><p>The most vulnerable areas to the above-normal rains are the eastern sections of the country - which include Cagayan Valley, Aurora, Quezon, Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, Caraga, and Davao Region. </p><p>Prior to the the 2023-2024 El Niño, a rare triple-dip La Niña occurred. </p><p>Triple dip means that the large-scale cooling of the Pacific Ocean spanned three years - from July 2020 through March 2023.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EEgeCSsToyw?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div><div><br/></div>

<p>State meteorologists said that the frequent afternoon and evening thunderstorms signal the transition from the warm and dry season to the rainy season in the Philippines. </p>

State meteorologists said that the frequent afternoon and evening thunderstorms signal the transition from the warm and dry season to the rainy season in the Philippines.

Frequent thunderstorms signal transition to rainy season but developing La Niña may delay it - PAGASA | ABS-CBN

Entertainment

News

Metro.Style

Sports

More

News

Frequent thunderstorms signal transition to rainy season but developing La Niña may delay it - PAGASA

Frequent thunderstorms signal transition to rainy season but developing La Niña may delay it - PAGASA

Ariel Rojas,

ABS-CBN News

Published May 15, 2024 11:34 PM PHT

|

Updated May 16, 2024 01:16 AM PHT

Read More:

El Niño

La Niña

dry season

rainy season

PAGASA

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Advertise with Us

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.