ILOILO CITY — The rainy season has yet to start and the rains in several parts of the country are due to the tropical depression or the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ).
Charlie Depra, Weather Observer at the Iloilo synoptic station of the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said that in the next few days they may possibly declare the start of the rainy season since their target dates run from June 4 to June 14 this year.
He added that they are now analyzing the criteria that have been established to officially announce the start of the rainy season.
Based on the criteria, there has to be 25 millimeters or more rainfall within five consecutive days and it should be recorded in eight different stations to satisfy the general onset of rains.
These are stations based in Laoag, Vigan, Dagupan, Iba, San Jose (Mindoro), Metro Manila, Ambulong and Iloilo.
Nonetheless, he said that as part of their preparations, they have been disseminating information to the public about weather and rainfall updates or weather advisory.
“Maging alerto lang sa posibleng flash floods and landslides lalo na sa mga nakatira sa low-lying areas dahil prone sila (Just be alert for possible flash floods and landslides, most especially for those living in low-lying areas),” said Depra.
He added that this month two storms may possibly enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility and approximately four storms in July.
Meantime, he said the occurrence of a hailstorm in Sta. Barbara and Badiangan towns on Tuesday was due to intense thunderstorm. Due to the intense evaporation the thunderstorm turns into hailstorm, he said.
“Not every time that there is thunderstorm there would be hailstorm,” Charlie Depra said.
If the freezing point of the clouds is at 10 kilometers below the ground, there would be formation of ice crystals that will form into a hailstorm.
Hailstorm would not last due to fast evaporation. It will run from 30 minutes to one hour. (Perla Lena with Caihra Santillan and Rosilfa Mallada, WVSU-OJTs/PNA)
