Campsite in Mt. Apo gets covered in frost

A group of hikers was mesmerized when they were greeted by a frost-covered campsite on Mt. Apo in Mindanao last weekend.

As seen in Kuya Kim's report on "24 Oras," Thursday, the tents and grass were covered with a thin layer of ice early in the morning at Lake Venado.

"Hindi kami masyadong makatulog ng maayos dahil sa lamig. Nag-expect na talaga kami na may frosting na mangyayari pagdating ng madaling araw," said tour organizer Jowayn Bagaoi.

"Dati may experience na kami ng frosting, pero hindi pa lumabas ang araw nagme-melt na. Pero 'yun hanggang 7 a.m. talaga andyan pa, hindi pa nag-melt," he added. 

How can ice form in Philippine mountains when our country has a warm climate? According to Kuya Kim, this is because it is usually colder in high-altitude locations than in places closer to sea level.

"Kapag po kasi tumataas ang elevation ng isang area, mas bumababa rin po 'yung temperature. Mas nape-pwersa po 'yung hangin na tumaas. Kapag napuwersa po 'yung hangin na tumaas, lalamig po siya," said Rosemarie Ann Marasigan from DOST-PAGASA Farm Weather Services Section. 

Frost is a thin layer of ice formed from water vapor deposited on a freezing surface.

"'Yung radiative frost, nagyayari po 'yan kapag gabi, usually kapag malamig 'yung hangin, clear 'yung sky natin. Kasi 'di masyadong nami-mix 'yung air. Normal po na nagkakaroon ng frost kapag mga ganitong month, 'yung Amihan ang prevaling na weather systems natin," Marasigan said.

"Sa mga hikers lang natin, ugaliin po nating magdala ng mga kagamitan para sa malamig na weather."