The Philippines has officially entered its rainy season this year. 

Weather bureau PAGASA made the announcement on Friday, June 2. 

“The occurrence of scattered thunderstorms, the passage of Super Typhoon Betty, and the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) over the past few days have brought widespread rains over the western sections of Luzon and Visayas, which signify the start of the rainy season in the country, especially over the Climate Type I areas,” PAGASA said in a statement. 

“However, breaks in rainfall events (also known as monsoon breaks) may occur, which can last for several days or weeks.”

PAGASA advised the public and all concerned agencies to take precautionary measures against the impacts of the rainy season.

Meanwhile, PAGASA said a transition from ENSO-neutral to El Niño “is favored in the next couple of months, with a higher chance of El Niño persisting up to the first quarter of 2024.”

El Niño increases the likelihood of below-normal rainfall conditions, which could cause dry spells and droughts in some areas of the country. 

“However, [an] enhanced Southwest Monsoon season (Habagat) may also be expected, which may result in above-normal rainfall conditions over the western part of the country,” PAGASA said.