The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has recently launched significant upgrades to its PANaHON 3D Web-Based Decision Support Information System. This interactive platform aims to offer more precise and easily accessible weather information to disaster managers and local government units nationwide.

PANaHON, short for PAGASA National Hydro-Met Observing Network, now provides integrated gridded forecasts that offer detailed weather data like rainfall accumulation, temperature, wind, and pressure for any location, even those without nearby PAGASA weather stations.

Users can navigate this data through clickable map grids, time-sliders, and location-based search functions, enhancing the overall user experience.

A major enhancement is the consolidation of all regional weather warnings into a centralized alert system. This system showcases real-time hazards on a color-coded interactive map, giving a comprehensive view of warnings issued by all five PAGASA Regional Services Divisions. This enables disaster managers and local government units to efficiently monitor weather hazards using a single platform.

According to PAGASA senior weather specialist Raymond Ordinario, PANaHON now serves as a one-stop shop for all official weather warnings nationwide. The platform integrates official PAGASA warnings and near-real-time observation data, offering a level of reliability and immediacy not found in other platforms.

Dr. Nathaniel Servando, PAGASA Administrator, stressed the significance of these upgrades in supporting local planning, risk reduction, and disaster preparedness efforts. The relaunch coincides with Typhoon and Flood Awareness Week, with this year's theme being "Being Ready for Typhoons and Floods is the Key to a Safe Community."

The upgraded PANaHON platform is continuously evolving based on user feedback to enhance its features and accessibility. PAGASA encourages disaster managers and local government officials to utilize this tool as a reliable source of official weather information, especially during severe weather events.