17 provinces face drought, 3 other areas may experience dry spell

Fewer provinces may experience prolonged dry condition by end of May, but the weak El Niño is seen to prevail until the third quarter of 2019.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said 17 provinces in Luzon and Visayas or 20 percent of the country may experience drought, while three provinces in Visayas or 4 percent of the country may have dry spell by the end of May.

Provinces that may experience drought are Bataan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Marinduque, Romblon, Albay, Camarines Norte, Ca

marines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, Sorsogon, Aklan, Biliran, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern Samar, and Samar. These comprise 20 percent of the country.

Drought, which is a severe dry condition, is defined as three consecutive months of way below normal (60 percent reduction from average) or five consecutive months of below normal (21 to 60 percent reduction from average) rainfall condition.

Bohol, Cebu, and Southern Leyte may experience dry spell by end of May.

Dry spell is described by PAGASA as three consecutive months of below normal (21 to 60 percent reduction from average) rainfall conditions or two consecutive months of way below normal (more than 60 percent reduction from average) rainfall conditions. PAGASA said 41 provinces are currently experiencing drought, while 23 provinces are confronting dry spell.

Most of the country will have generally near normal rainfall in May, except Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, and some parts of western and southern Luzon where below normal rainfall is expected.

By June, PAGASA said generally near average rainfall is expected in Visayas and Mindanao except for most of Northern and Central Luzon.

By July, above normal rainfall is expected in most parts of Northern Luzon, while most parts of Visayas and Mindanao are expected to have near normal rainfall conditions.

PAGASA said the weak El Niño still persists and may continue until August.