by Ellalyn De Vera-Ruiz, Manila Bulletin
The highest heat index in the country on Friday, April 1, was recorded in Dagupan City, Pangasinan at 52 degrees Celsius (°C).
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) defines heat index as the measurement of how hot it feels when relative humidity is factored in with the actual air temperature.
If the heat index is over 52°C, PAGASA said there is “extreme danger” as “heatstroke is imminent.”
Based on its monitoring on Friday, the five monitoring stations that logged the highest heat index values for the day were:
Dagupan City, Pangasinan (52°C, 2 p.m.)
Masbate City, Masbate (41°C, 2 p.m.)
Calapan, Oriental Mindoro (41°C, 2 p.m.)
Iba, Zambales (41°C, 2 p.m.)
Zamboanga City, Zamboanga del Sur (40°C, 1 p.m.)
With heat indices between 41°C and 51°C, PAGASA said there is impending “danger as heat cramps and heat exhaustion are likely,” while “heat stroke is probable with continued activity.”
So far, Dagupan City registered the highest heat index in 2022 at 53℃ on March 17.
Heat index is at least 3 degrees Celsius (°C) to 4°C higher than the actual air temperature.
However, PAGASA said that full exposure to sunshine can increase the heat index by 8 degrees Celsius.
From March to May, PAGASA provides heat index monitoring and forecast information that can be viewed on their website.
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