WORLD · VERIFIED DEVELOPMENT
Rainy Season Ends in Western Philippines as Southwest Monsoon Fades
WHY IT MATTERS
The end of the rainy season and the onset of the northeast monsoon will impact temperature and precipitation patterns in the Philippines, with potential droughts and dry spells in the coming months.
What happened
The southwest monsoon, also known as habagat, has ended in the western portions of Luzon and the Visayas, marking the close of the 2026 rainy season. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) observed a shift in the prevailing weather pattern, with weakening winds and reduced rainfall.
A high pressure system over East Asia and the southward migration of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) contributed to this change. The ITCZ is currently affecting the country, bringing scattered rain showers and thunderstorms to the Visayas, Mindanao, and Palawan.
The Philippines is transitioning to the northeast monsoon or amihan, a cool and dry season that typically lasts from October to February or March. However, PAGASA warns that the strong El Niño may persist until the first half of 2027, leading to hotter-than-usual conditions and below-normal rainfall.
PRIMARY SOURCES
Rainy season over for 2026 as southwest monsoon ends
Rappler · Acor Arceo · Discovery only; publisher copyright terms apply
CORRECTIONS & UPDATES
- Revision 1 · Initial ingestion · Oct 5, 2026, 8:15 PM
- Revision 2 · Source update detected · Oct 5, 2026, 8:15 PM