The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) recorded on Sunday, Dec. 5, the coldest air temperatures so far in Baguio City and Metro Manila this 2021-2022 northeast monsoon or "amihan" season.
The air temperature in Baguio City dropped to 11.4 degrees Celsius (℃) at 4:50 a.m.
Meanwhile, PAGASA's Science Garden monitoring station in Quezon City recorded the lowest air temperature in Metro Manila at 20.4 ℃ around 6:15 a.m.
The lowest temperature ever recorded in Baguio City was 6.3℃ on Jan. 18, 1961, while it was registered twice in Metro Manila, on Feb. 4, 1987, and Dec. 30, 1988, at 15.1 degrees Celsius.
PAGASA said the top 10 stations that recorded the lowest air temperatures on Sunday morning were:
Baguio City (11.4℃, 4:50 a.m.)
Basco, Batanes (17.0℃, 8 a.m.)
Tanay, Rizal (17.8℃, 6 a.m.)
Casiguran, Aurora (18.8°C, 7:55 a.m.)
Tuguegarao City, Cagayan (19.0°C, 4 a.m.)
Abucay, Bataan (19.1°C, 5 a.m.);
San Jose, Occidental Mindoro (19.6°C, 5 a.m.)
Malaybalay, Bukidnon (20.0°C)
Science Garden, Quezon City (20.4°C, 6:15 a.m.)
Baler, Aurora (20.6°C, 5:30 a.m.)
PAGASA attributed the cold weather to the surge of northeast monsoon.
In its 5 a.m. weather bulletin, PAGASA said cloudy skies with light monsoon rains may prevail over Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, Aurora, and the northern portion of Quezon including Polillo Islands.
Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, and Visayas may also have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains due to the amihan.
Meanwhile, Mindanao will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers from localized thunderstorms.
The peak of amihan is expected to occur from January to February.