If you want to know if it’s going to rain in the next hour or check the heat index in your area, the Philippine weather bureau now has a tool that fits right in your hand.
PAGASA has officially released the PANaHON mobile app. The launch happened during Typhoon and Flood Awareness Week, a yearly campaign that runs from June 14 to 20.
The app gives users access to near real-time weather data. It covers rainfall, temperature, and heat index readings. The name PANaHON stands for PAGASA National Hydro-Meteorological Observing Network.
Before this app came out, the same system was already available as a website in 2025. It also appeared on the eGov mobile platform earlier. But PAGASA decided to build a standalone app because many people check the weather using their phones. The agency said that more than half of its website visitors browse on mobile devices. For the panahon.gov.ph site, the number goes up to nearly 70%.
What can you do with the PANaHON app? First, the location tool lets you set your current spot or save other places you want to track. You can also search for any city or town in the country.
The weather forecast section works like the PAGASA website. You can check hourly updates, daily predictions, and a five-day outlook. This covers major cities and popular tourist destinations.
The interactive map is one of the most useful parts. It shows warning symbols for different weather events. These include thunderstorms, heavy rain, tropical cyclones, and flood risks. If you tap a symbol, a text box pops up with more details. You can also switch to radar or satellite views and zoom in or out. The app even shows gridded forecast data across the country. A time slider lets you see how weather patterns change over several hours.
There is also an observation tab. This gives you raw data from weather stations, both the main synoptic stations and the smaller automatic ones spread across the Philippines.
The notification feature is designed to keep you informed without opening the app. It sends push alerts about tropical cyclone updates, thunderstorm warnings, heavy rainfall advisories, and flood notices. To get these alerts, you need to turn on notifications and allow location access. You also have to agree to the app’s terms.
PAGASA assured users that the app follows the Data Privacy Act. It collects basic information like device type, usage patterns, location data, and notification preferences.