Metro Manila residents woke up to the coldest morning of the current northeast monsoon season Sunday as temperatures plummeted to 17.1 degrees Celsius at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) Science Garden.
The state weather bureau recorded the milestone at 5:30 a.m., significantly surpassing the previous season low of 19.2 C set on 29 January.
The chill was felt across the capital region, with the thermometer at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City logging 19.9 C, marking the first time that station has dipped below the 20-degree mark during the 2025-2026 Amihan season.
While Sunday’s reading set a new low for the year, it remains above the all-time record for Metro Manila, which was 14.5 C recorded in the Port Area on 11 January 1914.
The surge of the northeast monsoon continued to bring brisk weather to much of Luzon. Baguio City recorded a biting 9.4 C, while Malaybalay City in Bukidnon emerged as one of the coldest spots in Mindanao at 15.2 C.
Other notable lows were felt in San Ildefonso, Bulacan, at 16.0 C and Tanay, Rizal, at 16.8 C.
Northern and Central Luzon provinces also saw temperatures dip well below their usual averages. Casiguran in Aurora recorded 17.2 C, followed by Basco in Batanes at 17.5 C and Abucay in Bataan at 17.6 C. Further north, Tuguegarao City and Laoag City reported temperatures of 18.4 C and 18.5 C, respectively.
PAGASA forecasters expect the cold surge to gradually weaken, though cool conditions may persist through early next week before the warm and humid easterlies begin to dominate by midweek.