Benguet residents were greeted by an even cooler weather on Thursday morning as the air temperature went down to 9.9 degrees Celsius, according to the State weather bureau.
It was slightly lower than the 10.0 degrees Celsius recorded on Wednesday morning.
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) weather specialist Raymond Ordinario said the 9.9 degrees Celsius minimum air temperature was registered at the agrometeorology station of the Benguet State University in La Trinidad, Benguet.
Ordinario said PAGASA's synoptic weather stations also recorded the lowest minimum air temperatures on Thursday in Baguio City (13.8 degrees Celsius at 4:55 a.m.); Malaybalay City, Bukidnon (15.5 degrees Celsius); Tanay, Rizal (20.0 degrees Celsius); Casiguran, Aurora (20.0 degrees Celsius); and San Jose, Occidental Mindoro (20.0 degrees Celsius).
PAGASA also registered slightly lower air temperature of 22.5 degrees Celsius at the Science Garden monitoring station in Quezon City around 6 a.m.
The lower air temperatures were attributed to the prevailing northeast monsoon or "amihan" that brings cold winds over the country.
The lowest air temperature ever recorded in Baguio City was 6.3 degrees Celsius on January 18, 1961.
Meanwhile, the coldest day in history in Metro Manila was registered twice on February 4, 1987 and December 30, 1988 at 15.1 degrees Celsius.
Ordinario said the amihan may persist on Friday and will particularly affect Luzon.
As of Thursday, he said the northeast monsoon continues to bring cloudy skies with light rains over Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Mountain Province.
Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to the easterlies and localized thunderstorms may prevail over Palawan, Visayas, and Mindanao.
Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon may also have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains due to the amihan.
Ordinario said there is a slim chance that a tropical cyclone may develop within the Philippine area of responsibility in the next three days.
However, a gale warning remains in effect on Thursday due to the surge of northeast monsoon.
PAGASA said strong to gale force winds are expected to affect the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon, eastern seaboards of Southern Luzon and Visayas, western seaboards of Northern Luzon, and eastern seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon.
As rough to very rough seas may prevail over these coasts, PAGASA advised fishing boats and other small boats not to venture out into the sea while larger sea vessels were asked to remain alert against big waves.