Bring out those jackets and air out your mothballed blankets. Expect colder mornings ahead as the amihan (northeast monsoon) approaches its peak, the weather bureau advised residents of Baguio and Metro Manila.
On Saturday, Baguio City shivered to a temperature of 11 degrees Celsius, the lowest so far this year, while Metro Manila felt chilled at 19.5 degrees.
Forecasters at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) expected temperatures to drop further when the amihan peaks from the end of January to the first half of February.
Weather forecaster Alvin Pura said temperatures could dip lower than 17 degrees in the National Capital Region and Central Luzon, while Baguio City could expect to feel the chill at temperatures colder than 10 degrees as the amihan reaches its peak.
Already, temperatures are dipping, Pura said, noting that Baguio’s 11-degree chill around 4 a.m. on Saturday was lower than its Friday temperature of 11.1 degrees.
Metro Manila’s chilly 19.5 degrees at 6:10 a.m. on Saturday was lower than its 20.2-degree temperature on Friday around 6 a.m. In Nueva Ecija province, it was coldest on Saturday morning at 19.6 degrees.
Expect even colder days in the next few weeks, Pura said, adding that Baguio’s temperature was lowest on Jan. 19 last year at 8.1 degrees, while that of Metro Manila dipped to 15.8 degrees on Jan. 26.
Historically, the lowest temperature in the country’s summer capital was 6.3 degrees on Jan. 18, 1961, while the National Capital Region experienced its coldest morning in February, 1962, at 14.6 degrees.
Pura also advised fishing boats and other small vessels against venturing into the seaboards of Luzon, Visayas, and the Caraga region because of strong to gale-force winds associated with the surge of the amihan. He also alerted bigger vessels to waves that could reach 4.5 meters.
In Pagasa’s forecast for Sunday, the tail end of a cold front affecting Eastern Visayas will bring cloudy skies with light to moderate rain showers and thunderstorms over the region.
Cagayan Valley, the Cordillera Administrative Region, as well as the Bicol region will have cloudy skies with light rains. Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated light rains, while the rest of the country is expected to have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms.
Moderate to strong winds will prevail over the entire archipelago while seas will be moderate to rough.
In The Know
The northeast monsoon, locally known as amihan, usually peaks in January and ends in February, bringing cooler days during these months.
Baguio City, where the lowest temperature is most often observed, registered a reading of 8.1 degrees on Jan. 19 last year and a 7.5 degrees on Jan. 14, 2009.
Metro Manila’s lowest temperature last year—15.8 degrees—was recorded on Jan. 26 at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) in Diliman, Quezon City.
Science Garden
Pagasa considers temperature readings at Science Garden to be the most representative of Metro Manila, although readings are also recorded in other areas, including the port area in Manila and the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City.
Based on climate data from Pagasa, Baguio, the country’s summer capital, recorded its coldest temperature in January 1961, at 6.3 degrees while the lowest temperature in Metro Manila was recorded in February 1962, at 14.6 degrees.
In Los Baños town, where the agrometeorological station of Pagasa in Laguna province is located, the mercury plunged to 18.2 degrees on Jan. 20 last year. It was one of the coldest temperatures recorded in the station, although the lowest was 15.6 degrees in January, 1971.
On Jan. 17 last year, Tagaytay City experienced an 18-degree Celsius temperature, when its normal temperature throughout the year averages 22 to 27 degrees.
Also last year, Tuguegarao City, known for experiencing the hottest recorded temperature at 42.2 degrees Celsius on Aug. 19, 1912, and on May 11, 1969, also experienced cold weather when temperature reading in the city dropped to 13.9 degrees Celsius on Jan. 26. Inquirer Research
Sources: Inquirer Archives
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