Explained in Emojis: Habagat Rain Pattern in a Typical Day
The Southwest Monsoon or habagat, the prevailing wind system before the Christmas months brings generally wet weather to large parts of the country even in the absence of typhoons.
In August and September 2022 alone, typhoons that enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility stir monsoon rains even if they do not slam into the mainland.
Absent a weather system that enhances the habagat, rains during a typical day follow a pattern, said ABS-CBN resident meteorologist Ariel Rojas, who illustrated it on Twitter using emojis.
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It ususally rains at midnight until 8 a.m. the next day, said Rojas, who has also worked with state weather bureau PAGASA. The skies clear up from 8 a.m. to early afternoon before the rains resume in the late afternoon to early evening.
This puts PAGASA in a quandry, Rojas said, as local officials suspend classes at the height of early morning rains only for the skies to eventually clear up.
Cloudy skies with scattered rains are expected at dinner time to around 10 p.m., before the habagat brings rains at around midnight to early morning of the next day, he said.
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