Dry, hot season begins as monsoon ends

(UPDATE) THE dry season has officially begun as the northeast monsoon or amihan has ended, the state-run weather agency said on Wednesday. "The shift of wind direction from northeasterly to easterly due to the establishment of the high pressure area over the Northwestern Pacific signifies the termination of the northeast monsoon over most parts of the country," said Nathaniel Servando, administrator at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. "It would also be the start of the dry season." Extreme Northern Luzon may still experience occasional northeasterly winds, however. Servando said the day-to-day weather across the country will gradually become warmer, though isolated thunderstorms are also likely to occur. The public is advised to take precautionary measures to minimize heat stress and optimize the daily use of water for personal and domestic consumption, the weather bureau said in a statement emailed to The Manila Times.