BER Months = Brrr Months?

A few days before September, netizens were already expressing their enthusiasm over the approaching “ber” months. For us, Filipinos, the holiday season unofficially begins at this period, when we anticipate the most festive time of the year.

Happy Monday!!! Ilang days na lang, BER months na. Excited lang. 😀

— Dianne Kay™ (@dianne_ohno) August 17, 2015

Ber months approaching! How happy I am. 🙂

— will. i. am. (@kaaatenicole) August 23, 2015

Lapit na Ber Months Feeling Happy

— MarcDaniel (@LicopaMarc) August 26, 2015

September 🙂 ang saya ☺️ Happy “ber” months everyone! ❤️

— TheaCaleja⭐ (@heyyateyaa) August 31, 2015

But as we await the Christmas season, the weather also undergoes changes. Normally, this month, the southwest monsoon or hanging habagat gradually weakens. Since its onset on June, the habagat has been causing heavy downpour, experienced mostly in the western section of the country.

After the habagat, the winds will shift, giving way to the northeast monsoon or hanging amihan. This weather system usually kicks in late October, bringing cold and dry air. The presence of amihan may also mean slightly cooler mornings mostly in the northern part of Luzon. In 2014, the onset of amihan occurred on October 16.

Aside from the anticipated arrival of amihan, there is also an interesting astronomical event to look forward to this month – the Autumnal or September Equinox. Derived from the latin word aequus meaning equal, and nox, which means night, equinox refers to the time of the year where there is equal day and night time.

PAGASA’s astronomical diary says that the equinox will occur on September 23, 2015 at 4:20 PM. This event will mark the start of longer nights in the Philippines as the sun moves below the celestial equator. Longer nights equate to shorter exposure to sunlight, thus, colder weather may slowly begin after the equinox.

Meanwhile, in December, we will have the shortest day and the longest night of the year, marking the Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere. Although the Philippines does not have winter, we experience cooler temperatures at this time because we are located in the northern half of the Earth.

However, with the prevailing El Niño phenomenon, PAGASA says temperatures this year may not be as low as the previous year’s. El Niño is the unusual warming of the ocean and rising sea surface temperature (SST) over the Central and Eastern Equatorial Pacific (CEEP).

Latest forecasts from different weather and climate agencies show that El Niño may strengthen and continue beyond the ber months, lasting until May of 2016. The usual chilly ber months may become a little warmer this year, except in the mountainous areas in the north.

Sources:
PAGASA-DOST
World Meteorological Organization