PAGASA declares start of warm and dry season for 2026

MANILA, Philippines – The weather bureau announced the start of the Philippines’ warm and dry season on Monday, March 23.

This means that the cool and dry season, characterized by the northeast monsoon or amihan, has ended.

“The shift of wind direction from northeasterly to easterly due to the formation of the high pressure area over the northwestern Pacific signifies the termination of the northeast monsoon and the start of the warm and dry season,” the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in a statement on Monday.

“However, some areas of Northern Luzon may still experience occasional northeasterly winds,” added PAGASA.

The northeast monsoon brought cooler temperatures to parts of the country from October 2025 to March 2026.

With the onset of the warm and dry season, which Filipinos often call “summer,” heat index levels are expected to rise until May.

The heat index, also called the feels-like temperature since it is the temperature perceived by the body, is measured using the air temperature and the relative humidity in a place at a given time.

“The day-to-day weather across the country will generally be fair and gradually become warmer, aside from the occurrence of isolated thunderstorms,” PAGASA said.

To prevent heat-related illnesses, the weather bureau has been reminding the public to drink plenty of water, limit time spent outdoors, and use umbrellas whenever under the sun. – Rappler.com