The provinces of Iloilo, Guimaras and Antique are among the 36 areas in the country that may experience a dry spell by the end of the year due to El Niño, a weather phenomenon wherein surface temperatures in the eastern and central Pacific Ocean become warm.
The list of areas that are likely to experience a dry spell was released by the Department of Agriculture – Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Section (DA-DRRMC) after state weather bureau PAGASA declared the onset of El Niño on Tuesday, July 4.
PAGASA defines a dry spell as “either three consecutive months of below normal rainfall (only 41 to 80% of the normal rainfall) or two consecutive months of way below normal rainfall (less than 40% of the normal rainfall).”
Meanwhile, the province of Negros Occidental and 27 other areas are expected to have dry conditions by December.
Dry condition happens when a place experiences below-normal rainfall or about 21 to 60 percent reduction from the average rainfall for two consecutive months.
According to PAGASA, El Niño will persist until the first quarter of 2024, showing signs of strengthening in the coming months.IMT
