Commuters and pedestrians brave the rain as they negotiate the busy streets of Cubao, in Quezon City on Friday, August 28, 2026. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News
MANILA (UPDATED) — The southwest monsoon or habagat season is over, PAGASA said Monday.
The state weather bureau made the announcement after observing a stronger high pressure system over East Asia, the southward-migrating Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), and the notable weakening of winds and a decrease in habagat rains.
"Forecasts indicate that these conditions are expected to persist in the coming days. In view of this, the Habagat season has officially ended," it said.
Trough of super typhoon Choi-wan to continue bringing rains in Visayas, Mindanao
The agency added this also marked the end of the rainy season over the western sections of Luzon and Visayas.
PAGASA said weakening of winds and decrease of rainfall associated with Habagat were observed over the past several days.
Strengthening of high pressure systems over East Asia and southward migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone, which are requisites of the Northeast Monsoon or Amihan, were also monitored.
The warm and humid Easterlies from the Pacific will prevail as the country transitions toward the Amihan season, which may begin during the second half of October.
The start of the Southwest Monsoon was declared on May 30 while the rainy season began on June 4.
Meanwhile, a strong El Niño currently affecting the world is forecast to intensify further during the last quarter of 2026, with sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific expected to exceed 2 degrees Celsius above normal.
PAGASA earlier said that the Amihan season 2025-2026 could be drier and less cold as in the previous years due to El Niño.
However, rain-bearing systems including tropical cyclones, low pressure areas, ITCZ, easterlies, Northeast Monsoon, shear line, and localized thunderstorms will still affect the country during the Amihan season.
For more weather updates, visit the ABS-CBN Calamity Hub.