At least 24 provinces in the country are now experiencing drought or dry spell as of February 25, 2024, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Eighteen of these provinces are in North Central Luzon.

Drought conditions occur when there are three consecutive months with rainfall way below normal, more than 60 percent lower than usual, or five consecutive months with below-normal rainfall.

Seventeen provinces are facing dry spells, and 10 are under dry conditions.

The provinces include Abra, Apayao, Aurora, Bataan, Benguet, Cagayan, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Isabela, Kalinga, La Union, Mountain Province, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, Pangasinan, and Zambales.

"So, the majority of the global climate models natin nagsa-suggest that El Niño will likely persist until the March-April-May 2024 season," Kristel Anne Valerie Villasica, Specialist in Climate Monitoring & Prediction Section at the Climatology and Agrometeorology Division, said.

There is a 79 percent expectation of transitioning to ENSO-neutral or El Niño-Southern Oscillation from April to June, with a 55 percent chance of developing La Niña from June to August.

"Baka next month we will issue an El Niño advisory together with La Niña watch since in the next six months [there is a] possibility of more than 55 percent that La Niña might occur," Analyza Solis, Chief of Climate Monitoring and Prediction Section at System Weather Services, said.

Continuous climate forums are being conducted by PAGASA to better prepare the public for changing weather patterns.