CEBU CITY, Cebu (PIA) — Residents and visitors in Central Visayas are advised to take precautions against extreme heat as the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has warned of potentially dangerous heat conditions in the coming months.
According to the Visayas Pagasa Regional Services Division (VPRSD), the region’s heat index is forecast to reach the danger level category by the end of April and throughout May 2025.
The heat index measures how hot it actually feels when humidity is combined with air temperature.
“In the coming months, higher na ang atong heat index. Ato nang gi forecast na ang Central Visayas o Negros Island Region, ma reach nato ang danger level category at the end of April and May,” said VPRSD Weather Specialist Jhomer C. Eclarino during the recent Response Cluster meeting of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC7).
(Our heat index will go higher. Our forecast is that Central Visayas or Negros Island Region, we will reach the danger level category at the end of April and May.)
Eclarino said that while the current forecast shows temperatures between 26 to 33 degrees Celsius with a heat index of 36 to 40 degrees Celsius until April 13, conditions are expected to worsen afterward.
Last year, Cebu recorded a heat index of 43 degrees Celsius, but Pagasa forecasts indicate this could be surpassed in the coming months, with predictions of up to 44 degrees Celsius for Cebu by May.
Danger-level heat may pose significant health risks, including dehydration, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and potentially life-threatening heat stroke.
Residents are advised to stay hydrated, limit outdoor activities during peak hours, and seek cool environments when possible.
VPRSD attributed these elevated temperatures to the transition from a weakening La Niña to neutral El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions.
While residents might experience some isolated thunderstorms and rain showers, particularly during late evenings and early mornings, these will provide only brief relief from the oppressive heat.
“Not necessarily na kapag warm and dry season is wala nagpasabot na wala na’y ulan. Warm and dry season, naa’y daghang days na init ug igang na panahon. Naa pud gihapon gitawag nga mga isolated thunderstorms, kining mga rain showers,” Eclarino said.
(Dry season does not necessarily mean there will be no rains, but there are more days of hot and humid weather. There are also what are called isolated thunderstorms, or rain showers.)
He said there is still a moderate to high chance of localized thunderstorms during the warm and dry period.
“Moderate to high chance gihapon ang atong localized thunderstorms because, naturally, pag-gikan sa ta sa init ug igang nga panahon, kabantay ta nga diri sa late evening, kadlawon, makasinati ta mga passing rain showers,” he added.
(We still have a moderate to high chance of localized thunderstorms because, naturally, when we transition from warm and dry weather, we notice that during the late evening and early morning, we experience passing rain showers.)
VPRSD will continue to monitor weather conditions closely and update forecasts as necessary, particularly during the upcoming Semana Santa 2025.
For most current information about weather conditions in Central Visayas, the public is encouraged to visit the official Department of Science and Technology (DOST)-PAGASA website at bagong.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/regional-forecast/visprsd. (MSH/PIA Cebu)
