Baguio: The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced that Baguio City and other areas within the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) are continuing to experience lower temperatures compared to other regions and provinces in the country. This climatic phenomenon is attributed primarily to the region’s high altitude, which is around 1,500 meters above sea level.

According to Philippines News Agency, engineer Hilario Esperanza, chief meteorologist of the PAGASA-Baguio Synoptic Station, explained during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas event that the elevation is a significant factor contributing to the cooler winds experienced in the region. “The higher the elevation, the lower the temperature,” Esperanza stated. He also noted that the presence of the northeast monsoon is contributing to the cooler temperatures, along with isolated thunderstorms that further lower the atmospheric temperature.

PAGASA’s national report highlights that since March 23, the average maximum temperature recorded in Baguio City was 24 degrees Celsius, with the lowest being 17 degrees Celsius. Notably, on the early morning of March 25, the temperature dropped to 16.0 degrees Celsius, and it further decreased to 13.6 degrees Celsius in the early morning of the following Saturday.

Historically, Baguio City’s lowest recorded temperature was 6.3 degrees Celsius in the 1960s. More recently, the city recorded a low of 9 degrees Celsius in 2020 and 9.8 degrees Celsius in 2024. In contrast, other regions in the country are experiencing a heat index that peaks at 44 degrees Celsius. PAGASA defines the heat index as the temperature the body feels, which can be influenced by factors such as temperature, humidity, and location-specific conditions.