Metro Manila's Heat Index For Today Has Hit 44°C

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration on May 1 warned that higher temperatures may be recorded this month. "We could experience the hottest or maximum temperature," said Ana Liza Solis chief of the agency's climate monitoring and prediction section in a report on Philstar.com. And she definitely wasn't joking.

While that looks average, it gets worse when you consider the afternoon's relative humidity at 46 percent. This means that heat index is at 44°C (AKA danger zone). Temperature's even higher in Dagupan City, Pangasinan, which logged a heat index of 51°C at 2:00 p.m.—the highest in the country for 2020 so far.

PAGASA's website shows the temperature recorded in all of its weather stations, which includes the Science Garden in Quezon City. At 2:00 p.m., temperature was at 37°C and relative humidity was at 46%.

Photo by PAGASA.

These values can be plugged into a heat index calculator, such as one found on the website of U.S.A.'s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Photo by NOAA.

Heat index, according to Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), is the "human discomfort index that gives the apparent temperature or what human perceive or feel as the temperature affecting their body." High air temperature and high humidity give high apparent temperature or high heat index. So if you've been swearing a lot today because of the heat, we totally get you.

A heat index between 41°C and 54°C is likely to cause heat cramps and heat exhaustion—and even probable heatstroke with continued activity, says PAGASA in an Inquirer report. If it goes over 54°C (extreme danger), heat stroke is already imminent. Best to stay indoors, wear lightweight and light-colored clothing, and drink plenty of water as we try to survive this very hot day.

This story originally appeared on Spot.ph. Minor edits have been made by the Esquiremag.ph editors.