El Niño to worsen heat this summer

By NITZ ARANCON
Correspondent

HEAT would continue to be mercilessly dispersed into the atmosphere, and things are going to get worse when the thermometer further rises starting next month and all throughout summer because of the monster El Niño that has lingered.

Expect the worst temperatures between February and summer, said a weather specialist of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) station in El Salvador, Misamis Oriental.

Experts are saying that this year could be yet another record-hot year worldwide.

Pagasa weather specialist Mario Goya said the state weather bureau has forecast that the effects of phenomenon would be felt more next month until April because of the merging of El Niño and summer.

“We are expecting the worst effects of El Niño within the next three months,” said Goya.

But even before February, the heat has already been scorching because of the easterly winds blowing from the Pacific Ocean.

The winds, Goya explained, tend to push the shade- and rain-providing clouds formed over the archipelago away from the country towards mainland China.

“Mao na nga mo-init gyud dinhi sa ato,” he said.

Pagasa recorded the highest temperature in Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental so far this month on Friday at 32.3 degrees centigrade, 2.7 degrees lower than the Jan. 3, 1991 record of 35 degrees.

Goya said it could further heat up because of the lack of rain.

Normally, this part of the country sees a rainfall of 98.9 millimeters every January. In Jan. 9, Pagasa only recorded 4.2 millimeters of rainfall here, and .3 mm in Jan. 10.

“There nearly was no rain here this month,” Goya said.

Goya said it would be best for farmers not to take risks by planting water-hungry crops between now and summer.