Both the temperature and the elections will definitely be hot on Monday, election day, after a new heat index record was reached last Friday.
The heat index, or the human discomfort index, is the actual temperature felt by a body when humidity is factored in with air temperature. It reached the “extreme danger” level of 55.8 degrees Celsius in Pangasinan on May 6, or three days before the national elections.
Temperatures are expected to get even hotter this month, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said yesterday.
The Dagupan City weather station said the maximum air temperature of 36.4 degrees Celsius on Friday felt like 55.8 degrees due to the high relative humidity of 70 percent.
“This may go higher,” Pagasa weather division chief Rene Paciente said, adding that historically the highest air temperatures were recorded in May.
Pagasa issues a danger warning due to the threat of heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke when the heat index hits the 41-54 degrees Celsius range.
When the heat index breaches 54 degrees Celsius, the weather bureau warns of “extreme danger” from “imminent” heat stroke with continued exposure under the sun.
According to the weather bureau, the maximum heat index will range in “extreme danger” level in various parts of the country on May 9.