BAGUIO CITY (PIA) - - Residents and visitors of this mountain resort will continue to experience cold weather until February during  the Panagbenga or the Baguio Flower Festival season.
 
Engr. Larry Esperanza of the PAGASA Baguio Synoptic Station bared this in his weather outlook report during the January 16 Cordillera Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CRDRRMC) Pre – disaster Risk Assessment and coordination meeting for the conduct of Panagbenga 2024  which starts from February 1  up to March 3.  

 
The PAGASA forecast shows a minimum temperature range of 9.7 to 11.6 degrees Celsius this January,  and between 9.4 to 12 degrees Celsius for the month of February.

Based on the record of PAGASA Baguio, the lowest temperature so far this  month was 12.4 degrees Celsius recorded at 5:00 AM of January 17.

Baguio will also continue to experience dry conditions with the forecast of zero to two tropical cyclones to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility or PAR in the first two months of the year. “In case tropical cyclones enter PAR, it will not also directly affect Baguio City due to the prevailing Northeast monsoon or Amihan”, Esperanza said.
 

The PAGASA climate outlook also indicates  26 dry days in January and 23 days  in February. Dry day is defined as  a day with less than 1mm of rainfall is observed.

Meanwhile, with the cold weather prevailing over Baguio, City Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit head Dr. Donnabel Tubera Panes reminds the public  to be wary of  cold weather illnesses such as influenza- like diseases,  and also COVID – 19, as the virus remains in our midst.

Tubera shared that from monitoring week one (January 8 to 14), there were 83 COVID – 19 cases recorded in Baguio,  compared  to the 68 cases recorded from January 1 to 7, and the 46 cases recorded in the last week of 2023.
 
 She reiterates  the reminder to the public to practice the minimum public health standards needed to protect themselves from ILI and COVID – 19. She also  emphasized to practice  proper handwashing despite the cold weather.

Tubera also reminds  the public to be wary of water – borne diseases  even as the city government announced  on Jan. 18 that the acute gastroenteritis outbreak is over.(JDP/CCD/PIA CAR)