'Metro temperature won't exceed 35º Celsius this March'

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) yesterday said the temperature is not expected to exceed 35 degrees Celsius this month in the National Capital Region (NCR).

“Usually, there is a gradual increase of temperature in March. It reaches its maximum or peak during the month of May. In May, the temperature could go up to 38 degrees in Tuguegarao and between 34 to 36 degrees Celsius in Metro Manila,” said PAGASA weather forecaster Glaiza Escollar.

Yesterday’s temperature in Metro Manila was 32.5 degrees Celsius.

The maximum temperature so far was at 34.5 degrees Celsius, recorded last Thursday.

Escollar advised the public to stay indoors if they have no pressing appointments or important matters to attend to, especially between the period of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

According to the heat index, too much exposure to the sun during the range of 33 degrees Celsius to 41 degrees Celsius could cause sunstrokes, heat cramps and heat exhaustion.

Records from PAGASA showed that the hottest day in Manila was May 14, 1987 with 38.5 degrees Celsius, while the hottest day in the Philippines was May 11, 1969 at 42.2 degrees Celsius.

Meanwhile, in its 5 p.m. weather forecast yesterday, PAGASA said there is a wind convergence affecting Eastern Visayas and Mindanao, and these areas would experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and isolated thunderstorms.

The rest of the country would have partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms mostly in the afternoon or evening.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast would prevail over Luzon, and coming from the northeast and east over the rest of the country.

The coastal waters through the archipelago would be moderate to rough.