Pagasa declares end of El Niño

MANILA, Philippines — The El Niño phenomenon has ended as the conditions in the tropical Pacific have returned to El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO)-neutral levels, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced yesterday.

In a statement, PAGASA administrator Nathaniel Servando said there is a 69-percent chance of transitioning from ENSO-neutral to La Niña by the third quarter of 2024.

“With these developments, the final advisory for El Niño (2023-2024) is issued and the PAGASA ENSO alert and warning system is now lowered to inactive (ENSO-neutral) while the La Niña Watch remains in effect,” Servando said.

PAGASA expects improved weather in the country starting next week amid the rains being experienced in many areas due to the southwest monsoon.

“Today until this weekend, we should expect rains and starting Sunday, we expect that the weather will start to improve in Western Visayas,” PAGASA weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio said in a radio interview.

The state weather bureau said the southwest monsoon is currently affecting the western sections of Luzon and the Visayas.

“We expect cloudy skies, rains and thunderstorm in the Ilocos region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Bataan, Zambales, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi,” he added.

Aurelio said PAGASA has not monitored any low-pressure area or typhoon outside the Philippine area of responsibility.

“Here in Metro Manila, we expect improved weather starting Monday or Tuesday,” he said.