After El Niño comes La Niña

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

AS the El Niño started to weaken, the state’s weather bureau is keeping an eye on La Niña that would likely result in wetter-than-normal conditions and cause heavy rains.

The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration  (Pagasa) said La Niña, which often follows an El Niño, could spawn excessive rains by July until December.

Luz Mercado, a weather specialist at the Pagasa station in El Salvador, Misamis Oriental, warned that the effects of La Niña,  cooling of surface ocean waters, could be the exact opposite of what the country experienced during the El Niño period since last year.

Low-pressure zones that characterize La Niña are factors for increased rainfall.  And so, prepare for the rains, floodings, and landslides, Mercado said.

She said Pagasa has noted that the weather patterns and conditions have started to change this month.

“Sa panahon sa  El Niño dinhi sa Pilipinas, La Niña usab ang ilang nasinati didto sa Peru ug uban pang  silingan nga mga nasud. Apan  sa mid-year of 2016, La Niña na usab ang atong masinati dinhi sa Pilipinas, ug ting-init na usab sa ila didto sa Peru,” she said.

Mercado said rains have been reported in the southern and eastern parts of Mindanao this month due to cloud formations over Australia that have been brought by winds to the Philippines. Region 10, according to Mercado,  would likely start seeing downpours next month because of the cloud formations.

But she advised farmers not to plant yet, saying Pagasa’s forecast is that the rains would still be not enough this month. “Mas maayo nga hulaton nalang sa atong mga farmers ang ulan sa bulan sa June kay  ang kon mag-ulan ning bulan sa Mayo, dili pa kini igo nga makapabuhi sa mga tanom kay init pa man ang ilawom sa yuta.”