MANILA, Philippines – Filipinos have been experiencing chilly weather in the past few days, especially when nighttime rolls around and during the early hours of the day.

“Ang lamig” (It’s cold) even became a trending topic on Twitter. Below, we’ve got your top questions answered.

Why is it cold? The northeast monsoon or hanging amihan is causing temperatures to drop as it affects the country.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) defines the northeast monsoon as “cold winds from the northeast.”

“[The northeast monsoon] brings cold and dry air from mainland Asia na nakakaranas ng winter ‘pag ganitong buwan (which is experiencing winter at this time),” PAGASA Senior Weather Specialist Chris Perez told Rappler on Tuesday, February 4.

PAGASA declared the onset of the northeast monsoon last October 25.

How’s it like in Metro Manila? The temperature in the capital region has dropped to as low as 18.5°C, so far. This was recorded on February 1.

But the temperature on February 4 is expected to range from just 18°C to 28°C.

In the next few days, minimum temperatures will be around 20°C to 21°C, while maximum temperatures are most likely to remain below 30°C.

How about Baguio City? The City of Pines also saw its lowest temperature of the season, so far, on February 1. This was at 10.2°C.

But the record could be broken since PAGASA expects minimum temperatures in Baguio City to range from only 10°C to 11°C in the coming days.

Its maximum temperatures, meanwhile, may be 20°C to 22°C.

Until when is the cold weather? This episode of the northeast monsoon is likely to last until February, according to Perez.

The coldest times are usually either in January or February, he added.

Sometimes, the northeast monsoon lasts until March, but temperatures are no longer as cold since the country is already transitioning into summer. – Rappler.com