There is a 62 percent chance that the country will experience La Nina, which means cooling of ocean surface temperature in the June-July-August season, Science and Technology Secretary Renato Solidum, Jr. said Tuesday.

At a Palace briefing, Solidum said: “The El Nino in the tropical Pacific continues to weaken but the impacts like hotter and drier conditions will continue. Although the El Nino will transition to neutral by April-May-June 2024 season, there is also the increasing probability of La Nina at 62 percent in June-July-August season.”

“Also, we need to emphasize that historically, pre-developing La Nina is characterized by below-normal rainfall. Therefore, the possibility of a slight delay of the onset of the rainy season is likely and its effect will combine with the effects of the ongoing El Nino,” he added

He said that as of Sunday, 37 provinces have been affected by drought, 17 experienced dry spells and 13 have experienced dry conditions.

Solidum said the government will still be implementing measures to address El Nino, which increases the likelihood of below-normal rainfall causing drought and dry spells in some parts of the country, while preparing for the impact of La Nina in the second half.

The state weather bureau’s Climate Monitoring and Prediction Section chief Analiza Solis said about 16 typhoons are expected to enter the country this year, which is lower than the average number of 19 to 20 typhoons.

“For now, by this year around it is possible that we will have 13 to 16 typhoons. That means, it is possible to have below normal (number of typhoons) because we will feel the possible effects of La Nina in the last quarter of the year,” Solis said. Jaspearl Tan/DMS