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For most schools in the Philippines, June still marks the beginning of another school year. Ironically, this month usually coincides with the rainy season wherein heavy downpour, floods and class suspensions are
common occurrences.

Will June’s weather make it hard for students to go to school? Let’s find out what PAGASA has to say.

WEATHER SYSTEMS
In an interview with PanahonTV, Weather Forecaster Gener Quitlong said that seven different weather systems are likely to prevail at this time of the year:

Ridge of High Pressure Area – an extended part of an anti-cyclone that suppresses cloud formation, causing lesser chance of rains or fair weather condition.

Southwest Monsoon ¬- characterized by warm and moist air, the southwest monsoon or habagat usually speeds up cloud formation. Once enhanced by a tropical cyclone, the habagat can bring heavy downpour, which may cause floods in the western section of the country.

Intertropical Convergence Zone – refers to an area in the atmosphere where clouds are formed from the convergence of winds coming the northern and southern hemispheres. It can be a breeding ground of weather disturbances.
Easterlies – With warm and humid characteristics, these winds usually affect the eastern section of the county, bringing chances of thunderstorms.
Localized Thunderstorms – During warm days, heat speeds up evaporation and creates more clouds, which may dump moderate to heavy rains. Thunderstorms usually occur in the afternoon or evening, and last for one to two hours.
Low Pressure Area – an area in the atmosphere with a lower atmospheric pressure than its surroundings. Low pressure areas could usually develop into a tropical cyclone.


Tropical Cyclone
– The general term for a cyclone or bagyo, this weather disturbance is classified into four depending on its maximum sustained winds: tropical depression, tropical storm, typhoon and super typhoon.

2016’S FIRST BAGYO?
We’re almost halfway through the year but due to the El Niño-induced climatological drought, the Philippines is yet to have its first tropical cyclone.

According to Quitlong, an average of zero or one tropical cyclone enters the country’s boundary every June.

LIST OF TROPICAL CYCLONES 2016

Should we have a tropical cyclone this month, it will be named Ambo. One of these scenarios is likely to happen:

trak

EL NIÑO AND LA NIÑA
El Niño phenomenon, the unusual warming of the Pacific Ocean, continues to weaken and may return to neutral condition in July.
However, PAGASA remains to be on a La Niña Watch, as there is a 50% chance of a La Niña development in the latter part of 2016.

For now, most parts of the country will continue to experience below-normal rainfall conditions except in Northern Luzon and parts of Zamboanga Peninsula, where above-normal rainfall conditions will be experienced this month.

rainfall

HABAGAT IS BACK

According to PAGASA Weather Forecaster Chris Perez, the habagat will strengthen in the coming week and may extend over Central and Southern Luzon.

“Hindi lamang dito sa ating bansa kundi maging dito sa West Philippine Sea, inaasahan natin, sa mga darating na araw simula ng Wednesday hanggang Biyernes ay posibleng mas maraming pag-ulan na dulot ng habagat at mas magiging maulan ang nakararaming bahagi ng ating bansa hindi lamang dito sa kanlurang bahagi, posibleng umabot na rin dito sa silangang bahagi dito sa may Palawan area, hanggang sa Kanlurang Kabisayaan,” stated Perez in an interview last Sunday, June 4, 2016.

“In the coming days, specifically from Wednesday to Friday, the habagat will start to pour more rains in the country. Rainy days are expected in the eastern and western sections of the Philippines, and could extend over Palawan and the Western Visayas.”