Pagasa says Davao Occidental may enter dry spell by end-November

Davao Occidental could slip into a dry spell by the end of November 2026 if below-normal rainfall continues, according to a forecast by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) presented at its 201st Climate Forum, SunStar reported.

Pagasa-Davao said that as of October 25, 2026, the province was still receiving below-normal rainfall for the month. "If this pattern continues through November, the province is likely to experience a dry spell," said Engr. Alan Ray Ribo of Pagasa-Davao.

Under Pagasa's meteorological outlook, a dry spell is declared when an area records three straight months of below-normal rainfall, meaning a 21 to 60 percent reduction, or two straight months of way-below-normal rainfall, meaning a reduction of more than 60 percent.

Ribo also pointed to uneven rainfall in Davao Oriental. From October 1 to 25, the northern part of that province, along with Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte and Davao del Sur, recorded near-normal rainfall, but southern Davao Oriental stayed below normal. He warned that parts of Davao Oriental could reach dry condition status by late November if the pattern holds.

In response, the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council-Davao Region (RDRRMC-Davao) is carrying out the region's El Niño Action Plan, which covers five sectors: food security, water security, energy security, health security and public safety.

As part of these preparations, the council's Crisis Communication Committee has launched an El Niño Communication Plan meant to give targeted community sectors the information they need to build local resilience, according to the report, which credited PIA Davao.