State weather bureau PAGASA reported that Northeast Monsoon or Amihan would bring cold weather to parts of the country up to February 2021.
Mariz Umali reported on “24 Oras” that the temperature in La Trinidad, Benguet dropped to 10 °C on Wednesday morning, while Baguio recorded 13.5 °C.
Meanwhile, Marawi City and Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya both recorded 17.3°C.
Malaybalay in Bukidnon also recorded 17.5°C, while Metro Manila reached 22.5 °C.
According to PAGASA weather forecaster Ariel Rojas, the cold weather will be experienced until next year.
“Inaasahan natin na mas malamig ang temperatura sa second half ng December at mas malamig pa pagdating ng January at February, which are the peak months of Amihan sa Pilipinas,” Rojas said.
(We expect temperatures to be colder in the second half of December and even colder in January and February, which are the peak months of Amihan in the Philippines.)
Meanwhile, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the cold weather would not significantly affect coronavirus disease (COVID-19) transmission.
“’Yong empirical data or observational data, mukhang mas madaling kumalat ‘yong virus sa mga sobrang matitinding lamig na panahon gaya ng America, Europa, minsan nagze-zero degrees ‘yan,” he said.
(The empirical data or observational data shows that the virus spreads more easily in extremely cold weather such as America, Europe, sometimes zero degrees.)
Cold weather in Philippines until February due to Amihan – PAGASA
“Ang transmission rate tila tumataas pero sa Pilipinas ‘di naman tayo umaabot ng ganoong kalamig. Ganunpaman, ang number one consideration dito ay ang pag-iingat,” he added.
(The transmission rate seems to be rising, but in the Philippines, we are not reaching such cold weather. However, the number one consideration here is caution.)
In the Philippines, Amihan refers to the season dominated by the trade winds experienced in the Philippines as a cool northeast wind.
As of November 25, the Philippines has 422,915 confirmed COVID-19 cases, the second-highest tally in Southeast Asia behind Indonesia.
Davao City had the highest number of new cases at 137, followed by Quezon City with 68, Batangas with 59, Laguna with 54, and Cavite with 47.