Baguio chills as temperature drops to 11 degrees

Tourists enjoy the sun at Burnham Park after Baguio temperature drops at 11 degrees Celsius on Monday morning, the coldest so far this year. Gobleth Moulic/INQUIRER NORTHERN LUZON

BAGUIO CITY—The chill that we missed last year has finally come.

The mercury dropped to 11 degrees Monday morning, breaking the long warm spell that the country’s summer capital has been experiencing since the holidays.

The coldest recorded by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) last year was 13 degrees Celsius on Dec. 24, which is uncharacteristically warm by Baguio standard.

Danny Galati, a weather specialist here, said from December 2016 to January 2017, the temperature reading was between 13 and 14 degrees, which is warm compared to the lowest in 2015 when the mercury dipped at 10.4 degrees.

He said the chilly Monday morning was the result of a surge of the northeast monsoon, which brings the winter air from the northern hemisphere. JE/rga