MANILA, Philippines – Expect colder days ahead with the onset of the northeast monsoon or hanging amihan, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Friday, October 25.

“Ngayong araw nga po ay opisyal tayong nagdeklara ng onset o ng start po ng ating northeast monsoon. Ibig sabihin niyan, magiging mas dominant na po ‘yung hangin na nagmumula sa hilagang silangan sa malaking bahagi ng bansa,” PAGASA Weather Specialist Ana Clauren said in a forecast aired on Facebook.

(Today, we officially declare the onset or start of our northeast monsoon. That means the northeast wind flow will be more dominant over most parts of the country.)

“Magdadala po ‘yan ng cold and dry air, at ibig sabihin po niyan, sa mga susunod na araw at buwan ay posible na po tayong makaranas o maramdaman na natin ‘yung malamig na simoy ng hangin,” Clauren added.

(That will bring cold and dry air, and that means in the next days and months, it’s possible that we will experience or feel the cold breeze.)

PAGASA said in a separate press statement on Thursday, October 24, that for the past days, “strong to gale force northeasterly winds [have] prevailed over the seaboards of Northern Luzon due to the strengthening of the high pressure system over Siberia.”

“Moreover, gradual cooling of the surface air temperature over the northeastern part of Luzon has been observed. These meteorological conditions indicate the onset of northeast monsoon (amihan) season in the country,” the state weather bureau said, adding that surges of cold temperatures may also be expected in the coming days and months. – Rappler.com