Heat index hits record 49.4ºC

This year’s heat index record was broken on Saturday when the temperature actually felt by the body reached a scorching 49.4 degrees Celsius in Occidental Mindoro.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said its weather station in San Jose City recorded the maximum heat index of 49.4 degrees Celsius on April 2.

This was the highest heat index recorded since the weather bureau resumed monitoring the temperature on March 1, surpassing the 48.4 degrees Celsius recorded in Dagupan City on March 21.

Also called the human discomfort index, the heat index is the estimated temperature actually felt by the body based on air temperature and relative humidity.

Of Pagasa’s 53 weather stations around the country, 20 recorded a heat index of at least 40 degrees Celsius on Saturday.

Pagasa considers a heat index of over 41 degrees Celsius as the “danger level,” warning of heat cramps, heat exhaustion and probable heat stroke from continued activity under the sun.

A heat index above 54 degrees Celsius is considered the “extreme danger level.”

The 19 other areas where the heat index reached or were close to danger levels last Saturday were Clark Airport, Pampanga, with 43.9 degrees Celsius; Dagupan City, Pangasinan, 43.6 degrees; Maasin, Southern Leyte, 43.1 degrees; General Santos City, South Cotabato, 43 degrees; Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, 42.7 degrees; Sangley Point, Cavite, 42.4 degrees; Cuyo, Palawan, 42.2 degrees;

Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte, 41.4 degrees; Roxas City, Capiz, 41.2 degrees; Cotabato City, Maguindanao and Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur,  with 41.1 degrees; Iba, Zambales, 41 degrees;

Daet, Camarines Norte, 40.9 degrees; Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental, 40.8 degrees; Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, 40.6 degrees; Malaybalay, Bukidnon, 40.5 degrees; Ambulong, Batangas, 40.3 degrees; and Davao City, Davao del Sur and Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, 40 degrees.

The maximum heat index in Metro Manila last Saturday was  37.1 degrees in Manila, 36.6 degrees in Pasay and 36.4 degrees in Quezon City.