BY: JOSE ROBERT INVENTOR
Once again, Baguio City residents woke up to freezing cold weather.
This morning, the city recorded a temperature drop to 11.8 degrees Celsius.
These visitors in Burnham Park were bundled up to keep warm.
“You can really feel the cold, and when it gets chilly, you wear socks, layer jackets, and even put on a scarf,” said Rio Calusa, a resident.
In neighboring La Trinidad, the temperature dropped even further to 9.6 degrees Celsius at 5:00 AM.
“Even with a jacket, you can feel the cold hitting your back. As a cancer warrior, it’s even harder for me to avoid coughing and cold,” said Jhocelyn Soriano, a resident.
According to PAGASA, the low temperatures are due to the prevailing northeast monsoon.
Engr. Larry Ezperanza, Chief Meteorological Officer, DOST PAGASA Baguio Synoptic Center, explained, “When our temperature drops, it’s really because of the northeast wind flow bringing cold air from the northeast.”
Meanwhile, some areas in Benguet resembled a winter wonderland.
Drone shots from Barangay Paoay, Atok, Benguet revealed frost-covered farmland.
Some crops, such as carrots, were coated in ice.
Farmers, accustomed to this, poured water over their crops as a remedy.
According to PJ Haight, a resident, “Our crops weren’t damaged because we plant carrots yearly, and they can tolerate the frost. The frost came suddenly. It’s about the same every year, but this time the frost was late, it’s almost February. Unlike last year when it started earlier, by the second or third week of January.”
Though challenging for farmers, they’ve grown accustomed to the weather and even hope it will attract tourists.
“Frost has become a tourist attraction. Some visitors even check in just to see the frost. One guest told me they’re coming early tomorrow morning, curious to witness it,” Haight added.
Frost was also observed in Mount Santo Tomas, Tuba, Benguet.
A video showed frost covering tarps and grass in the area.
Esperanza then explained, “Frost forms from dew or humidity in the air. When temperatures drop, the moisture freezes, that’s the process.”
Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture-Cordillera has yet to receive reports of crop damage caused by frost in Benguet.