Monday, hottest day of the year

Yesterday was the hottest day in the country this year.

With temperatures reaching 35.8 degrees Celsius, the weather bureau recorded the highest temperature in Metro Manila for this year.

Nathaniel Cruz, weather branch chief of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said the warm weather being felt in most parts of the country particularly in Metro Manila is indicative that summer is officially here.

"Expect more sunny days, hotter days for the next few months probably until May," Cruz said.

Yesterday’s recorded hottest temperature at the Science Garden in Quezon City, however, was two degrees higher compared to Sunday’s recorded temperature of 33.8 degrees Celsius.

Last year, highest recorded temperature here was 37.8 which occurred on April 28. This was .8 higher from the May 15, 2003 record of 37.0 degrees Celsius.

But the highest ever recorded temperature for Metro Manila was 38.5 degrees Celsius which occurred on May 14, 1987.

The said record, however, is still nothing compared to the 42.2 degrees Celsius highest temperature recorded in the country which occurred in Tuguegarao, Cagayan on May 11, 1969.

With the current record, Cruz said, the weather bureau will continue to monitor the day-to-day temperature in the country to see whether there is an increase or decrease in temperature