A low pressure area was spotted near Davao City which will bring scattered rain showers and relief from the scorching heat over parts of Visayas and Mindanao, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration said yesterday.
PAGASA said the LPA was located 900 kilometers east of Davao City.
While the weather disturbance is not expected to develop into a tropical cyclone, its trough or extension will bring cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Eastern Visayas and Mindanao.
The easterlies or the warm winds coming from the Pacific Ocean will continue to affect Metro Manila and the rest of the country where partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms will prevail.
PAGASA weather specialist Meno Mendoza advised residents affected by the LPA trough and easterlies on possible flash floods during severe thunderstorms.
Meanwhile, a scorching 42.2°C heat index was recorded in Pasay City over the weekend, the hottest air temperature so far in Metro Manila since the dry season started. PAGASA said the maximum heat index of 42.2°C was observed at its NAIA station in Pasay City Sunday.
According to PAGASA, heat index refers to the actual feel of temperature, opposed to the temperature measured by a thermometer.
The high air temperatures and high relative humidity are the factors considered in heat index which give high apparent temperatures or indices.
The state weather bureau considered heat indices of 41°C to 54°C as “dangerous,” meaning heat cramps and heat exhaustion are likely, and a heat stroke is probable with continued activity.”
Meanwhile, heat indices of 32°C to 41°C calls for “extreme caution” in which heat cramps and heat exhaustion are possible and continuing activity could also result in heat stroke.
While a dangerous level of temperature was recorded in Pasay, other cities in Metro Manila experienced extreme caution of heat index with 37.7 °C in Quezon City and 36.8 °C in Manila.
Air temperature also continues to rise across the country as dangerous levels of heat index was noted in some provinces last Sunday.
Highest air temperature in the country was recorded in Ambulong, Batangas, reaching a dangerous level of heat index of 45.5 °C.
A dangerous heat index was also recorded over San Jose City, Occidental Mindoro at 44.1°C; Cuyo, Palawan at 43.9°C; Catbalogan, Western Samar at 43.2°C; Sangley Point, Cavite at 43°C; Legaspi City, Albay at 42°C; Casiguran, Aurora at 41.8°C; Dagupan City, Pangasinan at 41.5°C; and Roxas City, Capiz at 41.3°C. (Alexandria San Juan)