Baguio chills at 12ºC

BAGUIO CITY , Philippines —  Baguio City’s chill further dropped early yesterday to 12 degrees Celsius.

It was the coldest temperature so far since the onset of the northeast monsoon. Last year in the first week of December, the temperature fell to 11.8 degrees and dipped further to 11.4.

Monday’s breezy weather was .2 degrees colder than Christmas Day’s 12.2.

State weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the northeast monsoon brings cold winds from the northeast, as well as rains over the eastern side of the country.

Two days before Christmas, temperatures began to drop here to 13 degrees Celsius.

On New Year this year and on Jan. 3, Baguio dipped to 11.0 degrees C, though La Trinidad Valley in Benguet was colder at 7.7 degrees C on Jan. 10.

From the late part of every year toward January to February of the following year, Baguio City and Benguet temperature normally drops, exciting tourists who flock to the highlands during the season.

The coldest day in Baguio was on Jan. 16, 1961 at 6.3 degrees.

Meanwhile, data from the state weather bureau’s forecasting center said Basco in Batanes was also cold at 13.2 degrees on Christmas Day while La Trinidad in Benguet recorded a lowest temperature of 13.9 degrees.

PAGASA administrator, Vicente Malano said Tuguegarao was also cool at 17.8 degrees while Tanay in Rizal recorded temperatures as low as 17.9 degrees.

Metro Manila is also feeling the cold weather brought by the northeast monsoon which is expected to continue until January to February next year.

Malano told The STAR that temperature readings at the Science Garden in Quezon City showed lowest temperatures so far at 22.3 degrees on Nov. 27.