A rare pre-summer cold spell lingered over Baguio City this weekend, with temperatures reaching 9.4 degrees Celsius on Sunday, March 15, following Saturday’s 9°C low.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported that the weekend chill was driven by the northeast monsoon, which carried cold winds from as far as China and Siberia.

Residents felt the cold well into the morning before temperatures were expected to rise to around 20°C by midday.

Saturday marked the coldest day in Baguio this year, with Sunday continuing the unusually cool trend. In higher-elevation towns such as Atok and Buguias in Benguet, temperatures typically run about three degrees lower. Baguio’s all-time record low remains 6.3°C, recorded on January 18, 1961.

According to PAGASA data, temperatures gradually dropped before dawn on Saturday, from around 12°C at 2 a.m. to 11°C at 3 a.m., and 10°C at 4 a.m.