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Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

1. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions?

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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2. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously? -->?>

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

3. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available??>

The PLOS Data policy

Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: Yes

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4. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English??>

Reviewer #1: Yes

Reviewer #2: Yes

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Reviewer #1: Dear editor, thank you for the invitation to review this article, my comments are listed below.

1. The introduction should more explicitly clarify the novelty of combining STL, TBATS, and LSTM in the context of forecasting thermal discomfort in Bangladesh. While the methodology is strong, the practical advantages of this hybrid combination compared to prior studies or conventional models should be more clearly positioned, especially regarding implications for public health interventions and urban planning.

2. The model performance section is exhaustive but can be made more reader-friendly. Consider summarizing key findings by focusing on the top 3 to 5 performing models rather than detailing extensive metrics for all combinations. A concise comparative statement about why certain hybrid models outperformed others would improve readability without sacrificing analytical depth.

3. The discussion could better connect forecasted increases in discomfort levels to specific policy recommendations or adaptation strategies for Bangladesh’s urban and health authorities. Adding a paragraph that suggests how stakeholders could use these forecasts for planning, such as early warning systems, work scheduling, or infrastructure design, would elevate the applied value of the research.

4. Consider adding more recent literature that examines the impact of seasonal variation on health outcomes, particularly for vulnerable populations (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijtst.2024.11.009), to enhance the relevance and contextual grounding of your work.

Reviewer #2: The manuscript presents a valuable contribution by combining hybrid forecasting models to evaluate thermal discomfort in Rajshahi, Bangladesh, within the context of climate change, but several areas require improvement to enhance clarity, reproducibility, and applicability. While the paper is generally well-written and logically structured, some technical sections particularly the hybrid model descriptions should be simplified for interdisciplinary readers, and minor editorial refinements would improve readability. Figures are referenced but not fully integrated, requiring consistent formatting, proper resolution, and clear labeling, while acronyms such as TBATS, ETS, and GRU should be briefly redefined upon first use for non-specialist readers. The literature review is comprehensive, yet the discussion could better connect findings to public health, climate adaptation, and urban planning strategies. The focus on Rajshahi offers depth but limits generalizability, and the methodology’s adaptability to other regions should be briefly discussed. Although the study evaluates 128 hybrid models, it lacks theoretical justification for why STL-TBATS-LSTM was expected to perform best, and critical details on hyperparameter tuning are missing, undermining reproducibility. Validation could be strengthened by adding temporal strategies like walk-forward validation or sensitivity analysis, and incorporating uncertainty estimates or prediction intervals would improve decision-making relevance. While the seasonal discomfort trends align with regional climate patterns, external validation with datasets such as ERA5 would enhance credibility. The discussion of limitations, including the assumption of stationary climate trends and potential future mitigation effects, is insufficient and should be expanded. Finally, the forecasts highlight thermal risks but could offer stronger recommendations for public health preparedness and urban planning. Addressing these issues particularly data transparency, model justification, reproducibility, and uncertainty communication would significantly improve the manuscript’s rigor, accessibility, and impact.

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what does this mean? ). If published, this will include your full peer review and any attached files.

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Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: No

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Attachments

Attachment

Submitted filename: COMMENTS.pdf

Application of Seasonal-Adjusted Hybrid Models for Forecasting Discomfort Index in a Heat-Prone Region of Bangladesh

PONE-D-25-28698R1

Dear Authors,

We’re pleased to inform you that your manuscript has been judged scientifically suitable for publication and will be formally accepted for publication once it meets all outstanding technical requirements.

Within one week, you’ll receive an e-mail detailing the required amendments. When these have been addressed, you’ll receive a formal acceptance letter and your manuscript will be scheduled for publication.

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Kind regards,

Anurag Barthwal, Ph.D.

Academic Editor

PLOS One

Additional Editor Comments (optional):

Dear Authors,

Your manuscript has now completed the second round of peer review. In the second round, both reviewers confirmed that their concerns have been satisfactorily addressed and recommended acceptance.

I am therefore pleased to inform you that your manuscript is accepted for publication in its current form. Congratulations, and thank you for choosing our journal for the dissemination of your work.

Kind regards,

Dr Anurag Barthwal

Academic Editor

Reviewers' comments:

Reviewer's Responses to Questions

Comments to the Author

Reviewer #1: (No Response)

Reviewer #2: All comments have been addressed

**********

2. Is the manuscript technically sound, and do the data support the conclusions??>

Reviewer #1: (No Response)

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

3. Has the statistical analysis been performed appropriately and rigorously? -->?>

Reviewer #1: (No Response)

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

4. Have the authors made all data underlying the findings in their manuscript fully available??>

The PLOS Data policy

Reviewer #1: (No Response)

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

5. Is the manuscript presented in an intelligible fashion and written in standard English??>

Reviewer #1: (No Response)

Reviewer #2: Yes

**********

Reviewer #1: (No Response)

Reviewer #2: The revised manuscript titled “Application of Seasonal-Adjusted Hybrid Models for Forecasting Discomfort Index in a Heat-Prone Region of Bangladesh” has addressed all the reviewer’s comments satisfactorily. The authors have improved the clarity of the technical sections, properly finalized and integrated all figures, and clearly explained the rationale for selecting the STL-TBATS-LSTM hybrid model. The discussion section has been strengthened to better highlight the public health and urban planning implications, and relevant recent literature has been added. Data availability concerns have been resolved through the upload of an anonymized dataset, and limitations regarding generalizability, validation, and climate assumptions have been appropriately acknowledged. Overall, the manuscript is well-written, methodologically sound, and makes a meaningful contribution to forecasting thermal discomfort and supporting climate adaptation planning. I therefore recommend acceptance for publication.

**********

what does this mean? ). If published, this will include your full peer review and any attached files.

If you choose “no”, your identity will remain anonymous but your review may still be made public.

Do you want your identity to be public for this peer review? For information about this choice, including consent withdrawal, please see our Privacy Policy

Reviewer #1: No

Reviewer #2: No

**********

Attachments

Attachment

Submitted filename: Reviewer Report_R1.pdf