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Pagasa: RP should brace for long, hot summer







DAGUPAN CITY, Pangasinan – After being pummeled by cyclones in 2009 Pangasinan and most parts of the country will experience a long, hot summer in 2010, according to an official of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).

Nathaniel Cruz, Pagasa weather services bureau head, said the cold weather being experienced in the country since December has not been as cold as it was in December 2008 because of the El Niño phenomenon (an abnormal dry spell).

The country has been experiencing the El Nino since September and might continue to feel it until June 2010, he said.

Cruz was in this city on Monday to brief the city council on Pagasa’s program on preparedness and mitigation for extreme weather conditions.

“It could be a long, hot summer. The rainy season may come late, maybe in the last week of May or first week of June, instead of April,” he said.

He said Pagasa has started linking with the Department of Agriculture to discuss mitigation measures as the country’s agriculture sector would be severely hit by the dry spell.

No typhoon is expected to enter the Philippines in the first half of 2010 because of the El Niño, according to Cruz. He added that there would be less typhoons in the second half of 2010.

About 20 typhoons entered the country every year in the past few years and “we are expecting less than that number this year,” Cruz said.

But he warned that the typhoons that would come would be just as strong and potentially devastating as those experienced in 2009.

“It does not mean that less typhoons mean weak ones. Some could be as strong as ‘Ondoy’ and ‘Pepeng,’” he said.

Tropical Storm “Ondoy” (international name: Ketsana) caused massive flooding in Metro Manila and Southern Tagalog in September while typhoon “Pepeng,” (international name: Parma) which entered the country thrice, eventually weakening into a tropical depression, flooded more than 30 towns and cities in Pangasinan in October.

“What is important is that we should always be ready long before the typhoon season is here. We should always be prepared because climate change may cause more terrible typhoons,” Cruz said.

He said people should learn about the impact of climate change, a phenomenon that would not only increase temperature but could cause severe typhoons and floods.

“From now on let’s keep in mind that what we have not experienced in the past, we can experience now. If during the past flooding, it was only the first floor of the house that can be flooded, it is possible that the second floor will be flooded when the next typhoons hit the country,” he said.

Cruz also asked Filipinos to do their share in using water wisely in preparation for the dry spell.

“For instance, those who wash clothes… should not throw away laundry water and use it for cleaning. Restaurants should not give water to customers unless they ask for it. We should also save on electricity,” he said.


I HOPE THE WATERWORKS IS PREPARED FOR THIS!!!!

The government headed by the mayor of puerto galera, will they ever care?!
They even didnt care or make a program against global crisis and sea disasters.
For long summer, what maybe they care now is how to win the coming election
really mr. lighthouse...

Pagasa: El Niño to affect RP climate till June; Capiz under drought

The El Niño phenomenon has triggered a drought in Capiz province and caused dry spells in many other areas, and may affect the country’s climate throughout the first half of 2010, state weather forecasters said.

But the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said there is a small chance of at least one cyclone occurring this month.

“Weather systems that will likely influence the climate for January 2010 are the northeast monsoon, the tail-end of the cold front, ridge of HPA (high pressure area), easterly wave, and a slim chance of occurrence of one tropical cyclone. Most parts of Luzon and Visayas will likely experience below normal rainfall condition," it said in an advisory.

It added that portions of western, central and eastern Mindanao are expected to have drier conditions except the southern part, which is likely to experience near normal rainfall.

Pagasa said Capiz is already under drought condition as it experienced five consecutive months from August to December with below normal rainfall.

The number of areas that experienced dry spells have increased, including Benguet, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Batangas, Aurora, Quezon, Marinduque, Mindoro, Romblon, Sorsogon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Northern Samar, Aklan, Guimaras, Biliran, Davao del Sur, South Cotabato, Sarangani and Sultan Kudarat.

"These areas exhibited three to four consecutive months of below normal rainfall condition," it said.

Pagasa also said Northern Samar is in near-drought condition, and is likely to experience below normal rainfall for five consecutive months.

For January, Pagasa said near normal to slightly warmer surface air temperatures is expected in Luzon while warmer than normal temperatures are likely over most areas of Visayas and Mindanao.

Pagasa noted the El Niño weather phenomenon, characterized by low rainfall and dry spells, was already felt last December.

It said that in December 2009, weather systems that prevailed included the northeast monsoon, the tail-end of a cold front, ridge of HPA and the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ).

Tropical Depression Vinta (December 02-03), which just passed through the northeastern border of the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), did not affect the country, it noted.

"Rainfall condition for the month of December was unusually way below normal in most areas of Luzon. Likewise, Western Visayas experienced way below normal rainfall, while the central and eastern portions experienced below to near normal conditions. Greater portions of Mindanao experienced below normal rainfall condition and only the eastern and western portions showed near normal rainfall values. These are clear manifestations of the impacts of El Niño in the country," it said.

It added average air temperatures for the month were near normal in most parts of Luzon while most areas of Visayas and Mindanao experienced above normal surface air temperature. - LBG/RSJ, GMANews.TV

Have had no mains water in my house in Sinandigan for the last four days. Finally came through as a trickle this morning.

To my opinion is it time for the waterworks to inform and instructing the locals from PG about the water situation here, no long,showers,watering the gardens ,carwash all together reduce the use off water,and solve the leaking taps,faucets,hoses ,pipes and valves.
If the rain really stays out til june, july we will encounter many problems,how can we have tourists coming here but we can not supply enough water to the resorts and hotels.
Here in Balatero in the last 8 years i never had a problem but right now very low pressure and lots off air ,if i talk with the people from waterworks they just smile and think i am overreacting,but we will see who was right!!!!

why cant the local council tap the millions of gallons of pure natural spring water that runs into the sea at bulabod beach every year?

since a few weeks now here in Balatero and many other places notting or just a little water pressure,it turns out that the tanks in baclayan are nearly empty.
The people from waterworks told me there is plenty water from the springs even now but the problem is the distance about 6 km total costs off the pipes 10 mil.peso.
For many years now the municipality is talking about a 170 mil. upgrading on the waterworks system,while it turns out they do not have even this 10 mil.
I hope the new leaders or old ones will give priority to this problem.
no water no live!!!!!!