A WEAK La Nina will persist until the first quarter of 2026, an official of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa)-Davao said.
During the 4th full council meeting of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council Davao Region (RDRRMC-Davao), Pagasa-Davao Chief Meteorologist Lolita Vinalay emphasized that since September 2025, the country has experienced La Niña due to the decrease in sea surface temperatures in the central and equatorial Pacific.
Vinalay stressed that during this period, the country will experience near-normal to above-normal rainfall.
“Daghang mga lugar sa atong nasud ang makasinat og sobrang ulan (There are many areas in our country that will experience more rainfall) from the normal that may cause flashfloods, flooding, and rain-induced landslides,” the meteorologist said.
She advised the public to stay alert and prepare for the possible effects of the weather system.
“Atong gina-abisuahan atong kaigsuonan labi na katong nagpuyo sa mga flood prone areas, along river channels, and sa mga lugar usab na prone sa landslides.” (We are advising our fellow citizens, especially those living in flood-prone areas, along river channels, and in areas susceptible to landslides, to remain alert.)
La Nina and its effects
La Niña, the opposite of El Niño, is a climate pattern characterized by cooler-than-average sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. The weather phenomenon causes significant shifts in global weather, leading to increased rainfall in some areas, like the Philippines. La Niña occurs because stronger easterly trade winds push warm surface water west towards Asia, allowing colder, nutrient-rich water to rise (upwelling) in the eastern Pacific near South America, making it cooler than normal.
The phenomenon brings above-normal rainfall, increased tropical cyclone activity (typhoons/bagyo), and intensified monsoon (Amihan/Habagat) to the country, leading to higher risks of severe flooding, flash floods, and rain-induced landslides, impacting agriculture, infrastructure, and water resources, though it replenishes water supplies. PIA DAVAO