La Niña ended in the Philippines in June but would continue to make its presence felt through heavier rains up to September, the country's weather bureau announced on Wednesday.
And with this, Ondoy-like rains remain a possibility, said Science undersecretary Graciano Yumul, who supervises the Philippine Atmostpheric, Geophysical and Astronomic Services Administration. Yumul noted that there was also La Niña in the country in 2009.
"The southwest monsoon would last until September. So when a storm makes landfall and combines with the monsoon, and they bring heavy rains, it would be Ondoy-like," Yumul said.
This was what happened with Tropical Storm Ondoy, which directly hit Luzon in September 2009. Ondoy's rains, coupled with the monsoon, submerged most of Metro Manila, killing hundreds.
Yumul added that La Niña's residual effects would usually be felt three months after it left. This means that the country would experience heavier rains, whether it would come from a typhoon, a storm, a low pressure area, the tail end of a cold front or any other weather disturbance.
"What does La Niña bring? A lot of water. So now, in all that had happened - the cold front, southwest monsoon, ITCZ - there has been a lot of water," he said.
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