The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) clarified that Cebu is currently experiencing a mild dry spell, not a severe drought. This is due to lower-than-normal rainfall in the province over the past three months.
According to Mark Gales, a Pagasa weather specialist, in an online press conference, Central Visayas has been under dry spell conditions since June after three consecutive months of below-normal rainfall. “So for the past three months, most qualities for Central Visayas (experienced) below normal rainfall,” Gales said.
Pagasa’s classification of rainfall deficiency
The clarification came after some local officials used the term “drought” to describe the extreme heat. Pagasa categorizes prolonged rainfall deficiency into different levels based on duration and severity.
A dry spell is declared when a region experiences two consecutive months of significantly below-normal rainfall, with a reduction of more than 60% from the average. Drought, the most severe category, occurs when rainfall remains significantly below normal for three consecutive months, or when below-normal rainfall persists for five consecutive months.
Dry conditions also occur when an area experiences two consecutive months of below-normal rainfall, with a reduction of 21% to 60% from the average.
Outlook for Cebu and Central Visayas
Gales said that rainfall conditions in Central Visayas, including Cebu and Bohol, are expected to improve in July, with near-normal rainfall predicted. However, he warned that dry conditions or dry spell could return later in the year, possibly from December to the first quarter of 2027.
