PAGASA: Cooler days until January

MANILA, Philippines — Expect colder mornings and nights as temperatures continue to drop due to the prevailing northeast monsoon or amihan.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the cold weather can be expected until January.

The onset of amihan, which was declared late October, came a bit early this year. It brings cold winds from the northeast and rains over the eastern side of the country.

The lowest temperature recorded since the start of amihan was 12 degrees Celsius in Baguio City on Monday.

The temperature in Baguio began to drop on Dec. 23, to 13 degrees Celsius.

PAGASA said the coldest temperature recorded this year was 7.7 degrees Celsius in La Trinidad, Benguet on Jan. 10 and 11 degrees Celsius in Baguio on Jan. 1 and 3.

The highland chill usually lasts until February.

PAGASA said the northeast monsoon is also bringing cloudy skies with rain over Cagayan Valley, Cordillera Administrative Region, Aurora, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro and Bicol.

It is also bringing light rain over Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon, but PAGASA said no significant impact is expected.

Meanwhile, the state weather bureau is monitoring a low-pressure area off the coast of Mindanao.

The weather system was monitored at 735 kilometers east of Surigao City as of 3 p.m. yesterday.

PAGASA said it is not discounting the possibility that the low-pressure area would develop into a tropical cyclone.

The weather system is bringing scattered rains over Palawan, the Visayas, Zamboanga peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Caraga and Davao.