Yesterday (Thursday) morning turned cold and breezy for Metro Manila residents as air temperature dropped anew to 19 degrees Celsius – the coldest day so far in the metropolis this “amihan” or northeast monsoon season.
According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration, the lowest temperature reading in Metro Manila was observed at around 6 a.m. at its Science Garden monitoring station in Quezon City.
Last Jan. 17, Metro Manila’s air temperature also dipped to 19 degrees Celsius.
The coldest day in history in Metro Manila was registered twice on Feb. 4, 1987 and Dec. 30, 1988 at 15.1 degrees Celsius.
Yesterday’s cold weather was attributed to the northeast monsoon which usually prevails from late October to early March and reaches its peak during February.
Baguio City, the country’s summer capital, recorded a temperature of 12.5 degrees Celsius early yesterday morning. Its coldest day so far this amihan season was recorded last Jan. 30 at nine degrees Celsius.
This weekend, PAGASA said the dominant weather system will be the ridge of high pressure area, an anti-cyclone system.
Palawan, Visayas, and Mindanao will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to localized thunderstorms.
PAGASA advised residents to be alert against possible flash floods during severe thunderstorms. Metro Manila and the rest of the country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies. (Ellalyn V. Ruiz)