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Jean Mangaluz - Philstar.com
December 5, 2025 | 1:45pm
Dark clouds hover over Metro Manila on March 18, 2025.
STAR / Miguel de Guzman
MANILA, Philippines — Cloudy skies and more frequent rains are expected through the holidays as the state weather bureau declared the onset of the La Niña phenomenon.
La Niña is characterized by cooler-than-average ocean temperatures that typically bring colder weather conditions and above-normal rainfall across the country.
PAGASA said sea surface temperatures have been cooling since September and reached La Niña thresholds in November. The phenomenon is likely to persist until February 2026.
What to expect
More rains, flood risks. “La Niña is usually associated with above-normal rainfall conditions across most areas of the country during the last quarter of the year and early months of the following year,” PAGASA said.
The bureau warned that frequent rains may increase the risk of flooding and landslides, particularly in areas already saturated from previous weather systems.
Cyclone development. PAGASA also noted a higher likelihood of tropical cyclones forming within the Philippine Area of Responsibility during La Niña.
Tropical Depression Wilma, currently moving across the Visayas this weekend, is packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kilometers per hour and gustiness of up to 55 kph. While it may intensify, the bureau said Wilma is likely to remain a tropical depression while inside PAR.
