On the last day of the year 2021, Benguet’s air temperature plunged to 7.7 degrees Celsius (°C), marking the lowest air temperature yet this northeast monsoon or “amihan” season, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on Friday, Dec. 31.
The record-breaking air temperature was recorded by PAGASA’s weather station located in Benguet State University in La Trinidad. This outranked the previously announced 7.9 °C air temperature which was also recorded in Benguet in February 2021.
Meanwhile, in a public weather forecast, PAGASA weather specialist Raymond Ordinario said the rest of the lowest temperatures since the onset of “amihan” were recorded in the following weather stations:
Baguio City (10.6°C, Dec. 31, 2021)
Basco, Batanes (16.0°C, Dec. 4, 2021)
Laoag City, Ilocos Norte (17.5°C, Dec. 30, 2021)
Tuguegarao City, Cagayan (18.0°C, Dec. 30, 2021)
Vigan, Ilocos Sur (19.7°C, Dec. 2, 2021) Science Garden, Quezon City (20.1°C, Dec. 31, 2021)
“Pagpasok pa rin ng Enero natin mararamdaman ang patuloy na paglamig at ang pinakamababang temperatura nga ay nakikita natin usually pagpasok ng Enero (We will continuously experience the cold weather brought by the northeast monsoon in January. The lowest temperatures were usually recorded in January) ,” said Ordinario.
The onset of the northeast monsoon was declared by PAGASA on Oct. 25, 2021. (Charie Mae F. Abarca)