The low pressure area (LPA) that is embedded inside the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) has dissipated on Wednesday afternoon, May 26, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
PAGASA weather specialist Ariel Rojas said the ITCZ, or the convergence of trade winds from the northern and southern hemispheres, may bring scattered rain showers and thunderstorms over Zamboanga Peninsula, Bangsamoro, and Soccsksargen.
However, the easterlies will continue to affect Metro Manila and the rest of the country and bring partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers and localized thunderstorms.
Based on PAGASA's monitoring on Wednesday, 14 stations have recorded heat index values within the "danger" level. These were:
Sangley Point, Cavite (47°C, 2 p.m.)
Aparri, Cagayan (44°C, 11 a.m.)
Dipolog, Zamboanga del Norte (43°C, 2 p.m.)
Masbate City, Masbate (43°C, 2 p.m.)
Tuguegarao City, Cagayan (43°C, 2 p.m.)
Ambulong, Batangas (42°C, 2 p.m.)
Clark Airport, Pampanga (42°C, 11 a.m.)
Cotabato City, Maguindanao (42°C, 2 p.m.)
Iba, Zambales (42°C, 2 p.m.)
Laoag City, Ilocos Norte (42°C, 2 p.m.)
Ninoy Aquino International Airport (42°C, 2 p.m.)
Sinait, Ilocos Sur (42°C, 2 p.m.)
Casiguran, Aurora (41°C, 2 p.m.)
San Jose, Occidental Mindoro (41°C, 11 a.m.)
A heat index above 40℃ is considered "dangerous" due to the high likelihood of heat cramps and heat exhaustion.
So far, the highest heat index in 2021 was registered in Dagupan City, Pangasinan at 53℃ on May 14.
Meanwhile, Rojas said PAGASA is also monitoring a new LPA outside the Philippine area of responsibility or about 2,505 kilometers east of Mindanao.
Rojas said PAGASA will continue to monitor this weather disturbance whether it will develop into a tropical cyclone or remain as an LPA in the next few days.