El Niño Heat in November: How to Protect Yourself and Your Family from Heat Stroke

Hot days usually end when the rainy season starts. Not this year. Because of the ongoing El Niño, PAGASA has started publishing heat index warnings in November, outside the usual March-to-rainy-season period. On November 3, 2026, eleven areas reached the "Danger" level, with heat index values of 42–44°C in places such as Dagupan, Iloilo City, Borongan, and Butuan. PAGASA expects a very strong El Niño until December 2026, possibly lasting into the first half of 2027.

The Department of Health has named heat-related illness, worsening of chronic diseases, waterborne diseases, and mosquito-borne diseases as the main health risks of this El Niño. This guide focuses on the first: how to recognize and prevent illness caused by heat.

What the Heat Index Means

The heat index is the temperature your body actually "feels" when humidity is combined with air temperature. In humid weather, sweat evaporates poorly, so your body cools down less effectively. PAGASA uses four levels:

Heat index	Level	What can happen
27–32°C	Caution	Tiredness is possible with long exposure and activity
33–41°C	Extreme Caution	Heat cramps and heat exhaustion are possible
42–51°C	Danger	Heat cramps and heat exhaustion are likely; heat stroke is probable with continued exposure
52°C and above	Extreme Danger	Heat stroke is imminent

Check PAGASA's daily heat index forecast for your area, especially before outdoor work, school activities, or travel.

Heat Exhaustion vs. Heat Stroke

Heat exhaustion is the body's warning signal. Signs include:

• Heavy sweating, cool and clammy skin
• Weakness, tiredness, dizziness
• Headache, nausea or vomiting
• Muscle cramps
• Fast, weak pulse

What to do: move to a cool, shaded or air-conditioned place, loosen clothing, drink water, and cool the body with wet cloths or a fan. If symptoms get worse or do not improve within an hour, see a doctor.

Heat stroke is a medical emergency. The body can no longer cool itself, and organs can be damaged. Warning signs include:

• Very high body temperature
• Hot, red skin, which may be dry or damp
• Confusion, slurred speech, strange behavior
• Seizures or loss of consciousness
• Fast, strong pulse

What to do: call 911 or bring the person to the nearest emergency room immediately. While waiting, move them to a cooler place and cool them down with water, wet cloths, or ice packs on the neck, armpits, and groin. Do not give anything to drink if the person is confused or unconscious.

Who Is Most at Risk?

• Older adults, who may not feel thirst as strongly
• Babies and young children, who heat up faster and depend on adults for water and shade
• Pregnant women
• People with chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, kidney disease, or lung disease
• People taking certain maintenance medicines, such as some water pills (diuretics) and blood pressure medicines. Do not stop or change your medicines on your own; ask your doctor how to manage them in hot weather.
• Outdoor workers: construction workers, farmers, vendors, riders, and traffic enforcers
• Students during outdoor activities and flag ceremonies

How to Protect Yourself and Your Family

• Drink water regularly, even before you feel thirsty. PAGASA advises avoiding tea, coffee, soft drinks, and alcohol on very hot days. If your doctor has told you to limit fluids (for example, because of heart or kidney disease), ask how much you should drink.
• Limit time outdoors during the hottest hours, roughly late morning to mid-afternoon
• Use an umbrella or a hat and wear light, loose, light-colored clothing
• Take breaks in the shade if you work outside
• Never leave children, seniors, or pets in a parked car, even for a few minutes
• Check on elderly neighbors and relatives who live alone
• Keep your home cooler: close curtains during the day, open windows when it is cooler, and use fans. Some LGUs are setting up cooling centers or heat shelters; ask your barangay.

Other El Niño Health Risks

Dry weather can affect water supply. Store water in clean, covered containers and boil drinking water if you are unsure of its safety, to reduce the risk of diarrhea and typhoid fever. Covered containers also keep mosquitoes from breeding. The DOH has warned that dengue may rise when the rains return after a long dry spell.

When to See a Doctor

See a doctor if heat exhaustion symptoms do not improve, if you have a chronic illness and feel unwell during hot weather, or if a child has fewer wet diapers, a dry mouth, or unusual sleepiness. For confusion, seizures, or fainting, go to the emergency room right away.

Find a doctor near you on MyDoktor.ph, such as an internist or a pediatrician.

This article is for general information and does not replace advice from your doctor. In an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.