Devotees hear First Friday mass at Quiapo Church in Manila on March 7, 2025, amid high temperatures in various parts of the country. Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News 

MANILA — State weather bureau PAGASA said that while the Philippines was expected to experience hotter weather in the coming months, these would not be as extreme as the temperatures recorded last year.

“Although makakaranas pa rin tayo ng mas mainit na temperatura, pero kung ihahambing natin last year, mas mainit last year,” PAGASA spokesperson Analisa Solis said.

“So, mas mainit ang tag-init natin last year kumpara ngayon dahil mayroon tayong strong El Niño at maraming record-breaking na mga temperature at matataas na heat index,” she said in a Palace briefing.

Solis said the heat index in some parts of the country could reach as high as 48 to 50 degrees Celsius by the end of April or the first week of May.

“So, doon tayo nakakaranas ng medyo mas maiinit ang temperature natin, mga around 39.6 or 39.8,” Solis said.

“Hopefully, sa ngayon, hindi pa naman tayo nakakapag-predict ng possible na pumalo ng 40 iyong ating maximum daytime temperature. But iyong 52 last year na mataas na heat index, may posibilidad pero in an instant lang; hindi po widespread na mga lugar,” she said.

When school is out because of extreme weather

The Philippines has recorded high heat indices reaching 40 to 41 degrees Celsius in Metro Manila and other provinces, even as PAGASA has yet to declare the official start of the summer season.

“So, hindi pa po officially na dineklara ng PAGASA o DOST-PAGASA iyong panahon ng tag-init. Bagama’t ngayon ay nakakaranas tayo ng medyo mga maiinit na temperatura o alinsangan pero nandiyan pa rin po iyong epekto ng shear line at northeast monsoon at easterlies,” Solis said.

“So, kung sakali po na unti-unti na po na mawala itong northeast monsoon natin or amihan, doon po tayo makakapag-monitor kung magkakaroon na po tayo ng imminent termination ng northeast monsoon at papunta na po tayo or patungo na tayo doon sa warm and dry season months natin,” she said.

Shear Line, amihan cool Luzon