The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) recorded the highest temperature of the year in Tuguegarao City Tuesday afternoon at 38.5 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest day so far this year.

According to PAGASA weather observer Elson Dianela, data as of 8 p.m. Tuesday showed that Tuguegarao City in Cagayan Valley registered the hottest day of 2010 at 38.5 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous record-high of 38.0 degrees Celsius last April 5.

The minimum temperature registered in Tuguegarao City on April 5 was 21.2 degrees Celsius, while the lowest last Tuesday was 22.5 degrees Celsius.

Dianela also noted that Baguio City, the summer capital of the country, reached its highest temperature so far this year at 29.1 degrees Celsius Tuesday afternoon.

The city’s minimum temperature was recorded at 15.6 degrees Celsius last Tuesday.

Baguio City’s latest documented temperature also surpassed the previous record of 28.4 degrees Celsius last April 5.

PAGASA weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio also noted that Subic, Zambales registered the highest temperature so far this year at 36.9 degrees Celsius last Tuesday.

It can be recalled that Metro Manila temperature reached 36.1 degrees Celsius at 1:50 p.m. last Tuesday, which is so far the highest recorded in the metropolis this year.

As of this writing, data on Metro Manila’s maximum temperature for Wednesday is still unavailable.

PAGASA warned that the prevailing El Niño episode is expected to enhance the heat all over the country until May.

It also expects the temperature to reach as high as 35 to 36 degrees Celsius in Metro Manila and 38 degrees Celsius in Tuguegarao City until the weekend.

In the PAGASA’s 5 a.m. weather bulletin Wednesday, a wind convergence affecting Mindanao will bring mostly cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms.

The rest of the country will have partly cloudy to at times cloudy skies except for some isolated rain showers or thunderstorms mostly over the eastern section.

Meanwhile, light to moderate winds blowing from the east to southeast will prevail over Northern and Central Luzon and coming from the east and northeast over the rest of the country.