Angat water supply enough despite El Niño

The Angat Dam can supply sufficient water for Metro Manila and nearby provinces in the months ahead despite the prevailing dry spell or El Niño phenomenon, the weather bureau PAGASA said yesterday.

Angat Dam's current water level of 213.67 meters was still above the normal high water mark of 211 meters as of 27 December, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

Low pressure areas and the shear line will bring enough rainfall to maintain the dam's elevation, despite the lower-than-average number of tropical cyclones that entered the country this year.

"We have adequate water, and I believe it can last us through the dry season that will occur during the first and second quarters of 2024," PAGASA hydrologist Edgar dela Cruz said.

But he still urged the public to conserve water to ensure there would be an adequate supply during the dry or summer season.

The water supply is expected to become critical once the reservoir's water level drops to 180 meters and below.

PAGASA said a strong El Niño is expected to continue through this month through next month.

It said the majority of global climate models suggest that El Niño will likely persist until the March-May 2024 season with a transition to El Niño-Southern oscillation, or ENSO-neutral, in the April-June 2024 season.

Meanwhile, PAGASA said the northeast monsoon, or amihan, will continue to affect Northern and Central Luzon while easterlies will prevail over the rest of the country.

The weather bureau warned against possible flash floods or landslides due to moderate to heavy rains in Batanes and the Babuyan Islands due to the northeast monsoon.

PAGASA said the Visayas, Mindanao, MIMAROPA and the Bicol Region will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains or thunderstorms due to easterlies or localized thunderstorms.