CEBU is set to experience hotter days in the coming weeks, with the heat index likely to peak in May, according to weather officials.
Ana Dumdum, a weather specialist of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) Visayas, said in a phone interview on Sunday, April 26, 2026, that the heat index is expected to intensify by mid-May.
Pagasa Visayas has recorded a heat index range of 35 degrees Celsius to 38 degrees Celsius since April, with the first peak of 39 degrees Celsius recorded on Friday, April 24. Another 39 degrees Celsius was recorded on Sunday, April 26.
Dumdum said temperatures could rise further in the coming months and may reach 40 degrees Celsius.
Warmest Month
“Climatologically, May is our hottest or warmest month when the heat index typically peaks. We experience both warm temperatures and high humidity, so we can expect elevated heat index levels,” Dumdum said.
Pagasa data also show that May is the warmest month in the Philippines based on the average of all weather stations, excluding Baguio. While the region has not reached the “danger” category, Dumdum said current conditions already fall under “extreme caution,” which may cause heat exhaustion and dehydration.
The “extreme caution” heat index category ranges from 33 degrees Celsius to 41 degrees Celsius, according to Pagasa. Residents are advised to stay hydrated, limit outdoor activities during peak heat hours and seek shade when possible, as heat index levels may remain under the extreme caution category.
Relief and Monitoring
Dumdum said relief may come later in the season as weather patterns shift with the expected onset of the southwest monsoon, locally known as habagat, which usually brings more clouds and rain.
Weather experts are also monitoring the possible development of an El Niño alert. Pagasa said the El Niño phenomenon may increase the likelihood of drier-than-usual conditions, although above-normal rainfall may also occur in the western section of the country during the habagat season.
