Philippine Seasons & Weather Patterns

Objectives

• Describe the different seasons in the Philippines.
• Discuss appropriate activities for specific seasons of the Philippines.

Subject Matter

• Weather patterns in the Philippines.

Rainy Season Onset

• Rainy season has officially began in the country as of May 30.
• The declaration involves 5 days of rain with at least 25 mm of rainfall and 3 straight days of at least 1 mm of rainfall.
• The southwest monsoon began on May 24.
• The southwest monsoon brings warm, humid weather with rainfall.
• Intermittent rains and thunderstorms from the southwest monsoon affect Metro Manila and the western section of the country.
• Most of the country is likely to have near to above normal rainfall in June and July.
• Breaks in the rain may occur due to the North Pacific high-pressure area.
• The Philippines has had 4 tropical cyclones so far including Auring, Bising, Crising, and Dante, while the country averages 20 typhoons a year.

Dry Season Onset

• The dry season has started.
• An El Niño may cause a longer dry season.
• The dry season signals the end of the northeast monsoon.
• Easterlies and the ridge of the high-pressure area are dominant weather systems during this season.
• The dry season started on the second week of April last year.

Philippine Seasons

• The two major seasons are wet and dry.
• Wet season begins in June and ends in November.
• The remaining months are considered the dry season.

Climate Types

• Two pronounced seasons: dry from November to April, and wet during the rest of the year (Type I)
• No dry season with very pronounced rainfall from November to April, and wet during the rest of the year (Type II).
• Seasons that are not very pronounced, relatively dry from November to April, and wet during the rest of the year (Type III).
• Rainfall is more or less evenly distributed through the year (Type IV).