MANILA — State weather bureau PAGASA said Tuesday 14 provinces are already experiencing drought due to the prevailing El Niño, as of January 31.
 
The assessment is based on rainfall data from September 2023 to January 2024.

Base sa assessment ng @dost_pagasa noong January 31, 14 na probinsya ang nakakaranas na ng tagtuyo dahil sa El Niño:

Apayao, Benguet, Cagayan, Cavite, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Kalinga, La Union, Mountain Province, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, at Pangasinan. pic.twitter.com/uBegcsHD7C

— Ariel Rojas (@arielrojasPH) February 6, 2024

The 14 provinces are: Apayao, Benguet, Cagayan, Cavite, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Kalinga, La Union, Mountain Province, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Palawan, and Pangasinan.
 
Meanwhile, 10 areas, including Metro Manila, are experiencing dry spell and17 provinces are under dry condition.
 
Drought is experienced when there is more than 60 percent reduction in rainfall in three consecutive months.
 
Dry spell happens when below normal rainfall conditions occur in three consecutive months, while dry condition, in two consecutive months.
 
By the end of February, PAGASA forecasts that 24 provinces, including Metro Manila, will experience drought.
 
These include all provinces in the Ilocos Region, Cordillera and Cagayan Valley, as well as Aurora, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Cavite, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, and Negros Occidental.
 

Tinataya namang may drought na sa katapusan ng Pebrero sa 24 na probinsya, ayon sa @dost_pagasa.

Kabilang dito ang buong Northern Luzon at Metro Manila. pic.twitter.com/y8t3yNaERb

— Ariel Rojas (@arielrojasPH) February 6, 2024

Dry spell is forecast in 17 provinces, including 10 in Visayas, while 10 provinces are predicted to have dry condition.
 
In its El Niño Advisory number 7 issued on January 5, PAGASA said the strong El Niño will continue through February while the warm event will persist until the March-April-May season before transitioning to neutral conditions in the April-May-June season.
 
El Niño is a naturally occurring climate pattern observed in changes in sea surface temperatures and wind strength and direction along the tropical Pacific Ocean with global impacts.