We Call It Amihan

Here in our country Amihan refers to the season dominated by trade winds which we experience as cool northeast winds. It is characterized by moderate temperature and little or no rainfall.

We have two seasons in the country every year, two kinds of winds, the Amihan and Habagat. Amihan is known as the Northeast monsoon while Habagat is known as the Southwest monsoon. Habagat is the rainy season which occurs from May to October. It is where we have an average of around twenty typhoons. We are having the 15th now although Metro Manila is not affected. It is sunny here in our neck of the woods.

Yesterday, PAGASA (our weather bureau) declared that it is the beginning of the Amihan season. November to February are cold months which I always await every year.

Culled from Raffler.

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Reminder

I set up a reminder on what day to blog on WordPress. I didn’t know Saturday is included.

Typhoon Fabian which I told you about yesterday wreaked havoc again in some parts of Metro Manila because of the monsoon rains pulled by the typhoon including our town. Two days of rain and some villages and subdivisions here were flooded. We were blessed and lucky that flood waters didn’t reach our place except the two streets near the entrance of our subdivision. Just the same, Josef and I prepared for any eventualities. I didn’t sleep a wink last night except around 5:30 am to 7:00 am this morning. I was monitoring the news in our town. Our good mayor was in our town hall the whole evening with his disaster team and he updated us almost every hour with what was happening.

Jovy brought our car to her grandma’s place in Quezon City just in case. Our two dogs came along. It was full of some of their important things including the 50-inch smart television in their room.

I was praying the rosary at around 4:50 am when I thought I was having nausea because of lack of sleep. There was an earthquake followed by a weaker aftershock. It was 6.7 somewhere in Batangas province. Most of my friends didn’t notice because they were asleep and it was still raining then.

When nature takes its course all you can do is pray that you will be safe from disasters.

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Times Are Changing

Last night, I couldn’t sleep because of the heavy rain with matching thunder and lightning to boot. Thunderstorms are frequent  before the actual rainy season sets in. Maybe this is the start.  There is a low pressure area somewhere in the Visayas and it is somehow affecting Luzon too. The sun is afraid to show its face.

What I don’t like about the rainy season are the flash floods. When it rains hard, the streets on low-lying areas get flooded and traffic will be at its worse. When it rains even harder, it is a little frightening. I prefer the lovely months beginning October until March. By then the weather is just okay with little rain while April and May seem to be the hottest months of summer. This year, June is still so hot.

A friend from Cebu City and I started talking about climate change yesterday when she saw my post from CNN.

If we won’t do our share, then who will? Some people don’t care, some are not probably aware that this is a climate emergency that needs our attention. It is a global problem.

I’ve often blogged about those garbage that are haphazardly thrown at the sidewalks, on the streets and even in areas which are privately owned. I often see empty bottles of mineral water and plastic of soft drinks and straw atop my Santan blooms. Most people are undisciplined. Cigarette butts increase every day, some even reach our garage when it is windy.

I hate to say this but it seem we are in a water crisis. Water at Angat Dam where Maynilad and Manila Water  source our water supply (two concessionaires that supply our water needs)  is now below critical level. They shut down water distribution at night. Early this morning at 3am, I woke up only to find there is no flow even in our bypass faucet at the laundry area.  Enough water does not reach our overhead tank. The latter supplies our water needs inside the house.  Right now until probably around 8pm, we  don’t have water interruption but the flow is not as strong as before.

It’s a lovely Monday. The sun is finally shining….at last.

 

 

 

 

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