By Nikolai Ordoña

The Philippines, along with other countries in the northern hemisphere, experienced its longest day of the year on Wednesday, June 21, also known as the “June solstice” or summer solstice.

During the summer solstice, the sun traveled its longest path in the sky, rising at 5:28 A.M. and setting at 6:28 P.M., staying in the sky for 13 hours. 

By 10:58 P.M., the sun reached its most northerly point in the sky in Taurus at a declination of 23.5 degrees north.

The solstice is caused by a change in the earth’s tilt. After this, daytime in the country will begin to shorten, while nighttime hours start to become longer.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the event marks the first day of summer in the northern hemisphere and the first day of winter in the southern hemisphere, which conversely will experience a shorter daytime. 

Rainy season

While the June solstice marks the beginning of summer in most northern countries, the Philippines, on the other hand, is just at the start of the rainy season, as declared by PAGASA last June 2.

Coinciding with the solstice are rain showers and thunderstorms caused by the intertropical convergence zone, which affects Palawan and parts of Mindanao. 

Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of the country may experience cloudy skies with possible isolated storms in the afternoon or evening. 

Scattered thunderstorms and typhoons, as well as the southwest monsoon known as Habagat, are expected to bring above-normal rainfalls over the country from June until November. 

PAGASA had warned the public about landslides, flash floods, and other hazards such weather conditions may trigger.

Thumbnail from The Philippine Star