(UPDATE) THE Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has issued a second El Niño alert following climate monitoring and analyses that showed the unusual warming of sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific has further developed.

'El Niño is showing signs of strengthening in the coming months,' Pagasa's officer in charge Esperanza Cayanan said. She said the warmer-than-average sea surface temperature across most of the central and eastern equatorial Pacific signified that a weak El Niño might grow moderate to strong toward the end of 2023.