Baguio cold weather adds excitement to Panagbenga

By Michaela Cabero and Manel Corpus

BAGUIO CITY -- Aside from the fun and exciting events and activities of the month-long Baguio Flower Festival,visitors from the lowlands  will  experience  the city’s cold weather as the  Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

Larry Esperanza of PAGASA Baguio, in an interview, said the Northeast monsoon will continue to bring colder temperature in Baguio until the end of the month or even up to the first week of March.

With the Northeast monsoon affecting extreme Northern Luzon and the easterlies affecting Southern Luzon and the Visayas, partly cloudy to cloudy skies with colder wind will continue to be experienced in Baguio and the rest of the Cordilleras, he said.

‘As we are reaching the transition period for the summer season, temperature here in the Summer Capital may warm up to around 15 to 24 degrees Celsius (in a day) by the last week of February, comparing to the forecasted temperature of 13 to 22 degrees Celsius today”, he added.

So far the coldest temperature in Baguio for this year was 10.8 degrees Celsius recorded at 5:00AM last February 12. In history, the coldest temperature recorded in Baguio City was 6.3 degrees Celsius on January 18, 1961.

Panagbenga 2016 opened last February 1 and Baguio Flower Festival Foundation Inc. (BFFFI) lined – up events and other civic organization - led activities will continue up to March 6.

The much awaited Baguio Flower Festival 2016 Grand Street Dancing parade is set this Feb. 27, and the Grand Float parade today (Feb. 28.)

Session Road will be closed to traffic from February 29 to March 6 for the “Session Road in Bloom” so that people can enjoy entertainment, shopping, eating and walking along the stretch of the historical road.

A closing program and a grand fireworks display will culminate the Baguio Flower Festival on March 6.