Baguio, Benguet temps hit record low

BAGUIO CITY -- The second lowest temperature in this tourist resort this year was recorded last week while a chilly Benguet town saw temperature dropping to 7.2 degrees Celsius even as the local weather station said the city's cold spell may go on until summer.

Baguio City recorded 10 degrees Celsius after it had its coldest morning this year so far at 9.5 degrees Celsius on Jan.12.

Severe frosting, meanwhile, was experienced in Atok, Benguet where temperatures range from 6.8 to 7.5 degrees.

Victor Luacan, a resident of Atok, told a state news agency that he recorded a 7.2-degree temperature morning that Thursday.

The temperature in Benguet province in this period are about two degrees lower than that of Baguio City located at a lower altitude, 250 kilometers north of Manila.

Baguio's coldest morning on record was at 6.2 degrees Celsius in February 1961.

Forecaster Rolando Bagorio of state weather bureau PAGASA said that cooler mornings can be expected until the early part of March due to the intense northeast monsoon affecting northern Luzon.

The bone-tingling chill started as early as October this year, instead of November.