Sugboanons, get your sunscreens and umbrellas ready as Cebu may hit beyond 50-degrees Celsius!
According to Jhomer Eclarino, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical & Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) weather specialist in the Visayas, Cebu’s heat index may range from 42 to 51 degrees Celsius. This is considered to be at a dangerous level, especially since it can last for months.
Heat cramps, the rise of high blood pressure, extreme exhaustion, and heat strokes are possible as the dry season intensifies. At the time, it is also advisable to lessen outdoor activities.
Last March 22, 2024, PAGASA officially declared the beginning of the Philippines’ summer seasons, while Eclarino stated that the El Niño phenomenon causes the drought, “We declared officially the start of warm, dry season or what we call ‘tag-init (summer) sa Pilipinas’, at the same time we are also monitoring the ongoing El Niño phenomenon also, thus, we can feel more the intense heat.”
WHAT IS A HEAT INDEX?
The heat index is the temperature that humans feel based on air temperature and humidity. So, it may not be what the thermometer reads, but when you feel like it’s 40 degrees Celsius, then that’s the heat index, but the actual temperature reading may be beyond 40 degrees.
Eclarino added that based on Cebu’s historical data, the highest temperature and heat index usually occur during May. Today’s highest temperature recorded was on May 31, 2010, when the surface temperature was 37 degrees and the heat index was 49 degrees.
Aside from Cebu, the provinces of Antique, Samar & Eastern Samar, Guimaras, Iloilo, Leyte, Negros Oriental & Occidental, and Biliran also currently experience drought.
On the contrary, Eclarino stated, “That is good news that we are typhoon-free or tropical cyclone-free in the two weeks,” as he forecasted that there would be no typhoons for the Visayas region from the Holy Week to the first week of April 2024.
