Cold morning in MM as temperature drops further

MANILA, Philippines - Metro Manila recorded its coldest morning on Saturday with the temperature dipping 16.9 degrees Celsius, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

According to the Philippine News Agency,  weather forecaster Manny Mendoza said the temperature dropped to below 17 degrees Celsius at around 6:20 a.m. near the Science Garden in Quezon City Saturday.

For this year, the previous record of coldest morning was on January 18 at 17.5 degrees Celsius.

He said both “readings” were specifically recorded in the vicinity of the PAGASA Science Garden in Diliman, Quezon City between 5 a.m. and 6:30 a.m.

PAGASA said the lowest temperature that was recorded in Metro Manila was 15.1 degrees Celsius on February 4, 1987 and December 30, 1988.

Meanwhile, in Baguio City the temperature recorded was at 9.5 degrees Celsius recorded around 6:10 a.m. Saturday, Mendoza said.

Friday's temperature in Baguio City was at 8.5 degrees Celsius lower than Thursday's 9.2 degrees Celsius, Wednesday's 11.4 degrees Celsius and Tuesday's 12.5 degrees Celsius. Monday's reading was at 8.4 degrees Celsius.

Baguio City recorded its lowest temperature this season on January 19 at 8.1 degrees Celsius.

According to the PAGASA’s climatological record, Baguio’s coldest temperature ever recorded was at 6.3 degrees on January 18, 1961.

Mendoza said the country will continue to experience cooler days until the end of February, when the northeast monsoon or “hanging amihan" weakens.

The northeast monsoon or seasonal winds from the northeast is the cold air from China that starts blowing into the country every mid-October.

It usually peaks from early January to mid-February.

Meanwhile, PAGASA said Mindanao will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers due to localized thunderstorms while the rest of the country including Metro Manila will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains.

It added that moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over Luzon and Visayas and coming from the northeast to north over Mindanao.

The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be moderate to rough.

PAGASA also issued gale warning as strong to gale-force winds associated with the northeast monsoon, will affect the northern seaboard of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboard of Luzon, of Visayas and of Mindanao.

Fishing boats and other small sea vessels were told to stay away from the sea, while larger boats were warned against big waves.