Pagasa to tell how hot it really is

IS THE weather becoming too hot to handle?

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) will answer this in a weekly heat index on its website, www.pagasa.gov.ph.

Pagasa declared the official onset of the dry season on Friday.

The weather bureau will forecast the maximum heat index in and around 13 major cities around the country to alert the public on days when scorching temperatures will reach dangerous levels.

Pagasa has warned the country may again experience record-high temperatures of over 30 degrees Celsius since the brunt of the  strong El Niño will be felt this dry season.

The heat index, also called the human discomfort index, is measured not only based on air temperature but also on humidity in order to give the actual temperature felt by the body.

High air temperature and high relative humidity will give a high heat index.

Pagasa considers it the “danger level” when the heat index breaches 41 degrees Celsius, warning that continued activity under the sun would likely lead to heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

The “extreme danger level” is reached when the heat index reaches 54 degrees Celsius.

According to Pagasa’s five-day forecast from March 18 to 22, Zamboanga will experience the highest heat index with a maximum of  37.6 degrees Celsius on  March 21, while Tuguegarao Ctiy in Cagayan will have a maximum heat index of 37.3 degrees on March 22.

Metro Davao experienced a heat index of 37.5 degrees Celsius on March 18, while Metro Manila’s highest maximum heat index during the forecast period will reach 36 degrees on March 22.