Baguio chills at 9.4 ºC

MANILA, Philippines — Residents of Baguio City woke up to a chilly morning yesterday as the temperature dropped to 9.4 degrees Celsius, the coldest recorded so far in the city since the start of the northeast monsoon season in October.

The coldest weather was registered at around 6 a.m., according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

The temperature drop, accordingly, is one among the lowest in the city in three years.

Higher locations in Benguet like Atok town are also recording temperature drops since the New Year, usually 2 to 3 degrees lower than Baguio City’s monitoring.

Susan Haight, owner of a popular flower garden cafe in Paoay, Atok, said it was 6 degrees up there yesterday.

In Metro Manila, the temperature also dipped to its lowest at 19.9 degrees Celsius. The temperature was recorded at the PAGASA Science Garden in Quezon City, also at 6 a.m.

Ana Liza Solis, PAGASA’s climate monitoring and prediction section chief, said the northeast monsoon – cold and dry air from China and Siberia – would continue to blow over the country this month.

“We could still experience surges of the amihan (northeast monsoon) that would bring colder temperatures this February,” she added.

Yesterday’s minimum or lowest temperature in Baguio City, however, surpassed PAGASA’s forecast coldest temperature for the mountainous areas in Luzon this month at 9.9 degrees Celsius.

PAGASA, meanwhile, predicted the temperature in Metro Manila to further plunge to 18.5 degrees Celsius this February. The northeast monsoon normally peaks in January and February, the state weather bureau said.

Based on PAGASA data, the coldest temperature recorded in Baguio City was 6.3 degrees Celsius on Jan. 18, 1961.

In Metro Manila, the lowest temperature was 14.5 degrees Celsius registered on Jan. 11, 1914 in Port Area, Manila.