The public should take precautions against the warmer temperatures and high heat indices that parts of the country could experience until May, the head of the weather bureau said yesterday.

Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) Administrator Nathaniel Servando, in an interview with the Philippine News Agency, traced the high temperatures to the prevailing stronger easterlies.

He clarified that this is not caused by El Niño, as La Niña still prevails.

Currently, he said, there are still surges of the northeast monsoon or “amihan,” and the termination of the amihan season may be declared by the third or fourth week of March.

This month, daytime temperatures could reach between 28 degrees Celsius in the Cordillera region and 37.9 degrees Celsius in Cagayan Valley.

The highest heat indices, or what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature, are forecast in Palawan and Panay Island (Iloilo), Negros Island, as well as other coastal areas where there is high humidity that might range from caution to danger levels.

Under Pagasa’s heat index chart, temperatures included in the caution level is 27 degrees Celsius to 32 degrees Celsius; extreme caution, 33 degrees Celsius to 41 degrees Celsius; danger, 42 degrees Celsius to 51 degrees Celsius; and extreme danger, 52 degrees Celsius.

Servando, thus, urges the public to heed the advisories of the Bureau of Fire Protection as March is Fire Prevention Month.

He said that beginning in April until the first half of May, more areas will experience extreme caution to danger-level heat indices.

He even warned that several areas, especially those near coastal areas and in highly urbanized cities, may experience extreme danger-level heat index.

“We encourage the public to avoid going outdoors, especially at noon. Drink lots of clean water, and wear light and light-colored clothes,” he said.

“Immediately consult a doctor if you feel that the body temperature is too high, or if you experience redness and dryness of the skin, headache, vomiting, muscle fatigue, and cramps.” (PNA)