Christmas chill begins in Baguio, Benguet

BAGUIO CITY — Baguio and Benguet’s highland chill has intensified ahead of Christmas, prompting residents and early vacationers to wrap up and keep warm, five days before Christmas.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) Agromet Station at the Benguet State University compound in La Trinidad recorded the lowest temperature in the Benguet capital early Friday morning, December 20 at 14.1°Celsius.

However, it was almost a notch warmer on Friday compared to Thursday’s (December 19) 13.7°C. 

Meanwhile, the PAGASA Benguet Radar Station at Mount Santo Tomas in Tuba, Benguet recorded a low of 12.7°C, it was even colder on Thursday at 12.5°C.

In Baguio City, the lowest temperature dropped to 14.4°C, lower than Thursday's 15.5°C.

It is expected to get even chillier in the highlands as Christmas Day approaches, with the bone-tingling highland breeze continuing until March next year.

On Friday morning, visitors and residents woke up to a skin-biting 10°C, marking the lowest temperature recorded so far this Amihan season.

On February 17 of last year, a record low of 10°C was recorded, though this was still more than 3°C higher than the lowest temperature in the highlands, which occurred on Jan.18, 1961, when it dropped to 6.3°C.

In recent years, PAGASA recorded a chilling 7°C in Baguio City in January 2019.