Baguio chills at 11.5 ºC

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines – The temperature in Baguio City dropped to 11.5 degrees Celsius yesterday from 14.5 degrees on Sunday.

“It will further drop next month,” said Raymond Ordinario, who mans the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) radar station on Mt. Sto. Tomas in Tuba, Benguet.

Ordinario said the temperature on Mt. Sto. Tomas went down to 9.5 degrees Celsius at dawn yesterday from 11.8 degrees on Sunday.

The cold weather here came late compared to last year, when the lowest temperature at 10.4 degrees was recorded as early as Jan. 23.  

The city recorded its coldest temperature on Jan. 19, 1961 at 6.3 degrees.

Meanwhile, PAGASA said the country could expect warmer weather later this week, but it is still early to declare the onset of summer.

The weakening of the northeast monsoon beginning tomorrow will cause a gradual shift of the prevailing wind from northeasterlies to easterlies, the state weather bureau said.

PAGASA weather forecaster Chris Perez said cold mornings could still be experienced until the second week of February.  – With Helen Flores