PAGASA halts daily heat index forecasts as rainy season begins
At A Glance
- The suspension took effect immediately as PAGASA shifts its focus to monitoring and providing information on hazards associated with the rainy season, such as heavy rainfall, flooding, and landslides.
- Daily heat index monitoring and forecast issuance will resume on March 1, 2027, coinciding with the start of the hot and dry months in many parts of the country.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has temporarily stopped issuing its daily heat index forecasts following the official onset of the rainy season.
In an advisory issued on Friday, June 5, PAGASA said the suspension took effect immediately as the weather bureau shifts its focus to monitoring and providing information on hazards associated with the rainy season, such as heavy rainfall, flooding, and landslides.
“During this period, it is important to focus on providing accurate and timely information related to hazards and potential impacts associated with the rainy season,” PAGASA said.
The weather bureau said daily heat index monitoring and forecast issuance will resume on March 1, 2027, coinciding with the start of the hot and dry months in many parts of the country.
Despite the suspension of the daily bulletin, heat index data from PAGASA's automatic weather stations and its iHeatMAP platform will remain available on the agency’s website.
PAGASA also said that some areas may still experience hot weather conditions even during the rainy season.
The agency advised the public to continue monitoring announcements from local authorities and take necessary precautions to protect themselves from heat-related illnesses when temperatures rise.
The suspension comes a day after PAGASA officially declared the start of the rainy season, citing the prevalence of the southwest monsoon or “habagat” over most of the country.