The Philippines has five types of climates: tropical rainforest, tropical monsoon, tropical savanna, humid subtropical, and oceanic (the last two are found in higher-altitude areas). The country usually has high temperatures, very humid air, and receives a lot of rainfall. There are two seasons in the Philippines: the wet season and the dry season, which depend on how much rain falls. This also depends on where you are in the country, as some areas get rain all year long (see § Climate types). The warm months are March through October, and the winter monsoon brings cooler air from November to February. May is the warmest month, and January is the coolest.

The weather in the Philippines is monitored by PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration).

Rainfall

Monsoons are large wind patterns that happen when the temperature on land is much warmer or cooler than the temperature of the ocean. Summer monsoons, also called southwest monsoons (Filipino: Habagat), mostly blow from the west and rise into the air, causing a lot of rain because water vapor in the air condenses. However, the strength and length of these monsoons change from year to year. Winter monsoons, or northeast monsoons (Filipino: Amihan), mostly blow from the east and spread out, sink, and often lead to dry conditions.

The summer monsoon brings heavy rain to most parts of the archipelago from May to October. On average, yearly rainfall ranges from as high as 5,000 millimeters (197 inches) in the mountainous areas of the eastern coast to less than 1,000 millimeters (39 inches) in some protected valleys. While monsoon rains are strong and can soak the ground, they usually do not bring strong winds or large waves.

At least 30% of the yearly rainfall in the northern Philippines comes from tropical cyclones, while the southern islands receive less than 10% of their yearly rain from these storms. The wettest tropical cyclone recorded in the region was in July 1911. In four days, Baguio received: 14th – 879.8 mm (34.6 in), 15th – 733.6 mm (28.9 in), 16th – 424.9 mm (16.7 in), 17th – 200.4 mm (7.9 in). After this, a severe drought occurred from October 1911 to May 1912, making the total rainfall for those two years almost unnoticeable.

Typhoons

The Philippine archipelago is located in the typhoon belt, where dangerous storms often occur from July through October. Climate change makes the situation worse by increasing the strength and frequency of typhoons in the Philippines. In the Philippines, the word "Bagyo" is used to describe any tropical cyclone. According to data collected by PAGASA from 1948 to 2004, about 28 storms and/or typhoons enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) each year. The PAR is the area assigned to PAGASA to monitor during weather events. On average, nine of these storms make landfall or cross the Philippines each year. In 1993, a record of 19 typhoons made landfall in the country, the most in a single year. The fewest typhoons occurred in 1955, 1958, 1992, and 1997, with only four each year.

PAGASA classifies typhoons into five types based on wind speed. When a tropical cyclone enters the PAR, it is given a local name by the media, government, and public for identification purposes.

The Philippines has experienced many damaging tropical cyclones, especially typhoons with sustained winds of at least 185 km/h (115 mph; 100 kn; 51 m/s). For many years, the Philippines used a four-level warning system to alert people about incoming typhoons. However, the severe damage and loss of life caused by Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) in 2013 showed that this system was not enough. Because of this, the warning system was updated to five levels, and a "Super Typhoon" (STY) category was added in 2015. At first, super typhoons were defined as storms with winds over 220 km/h (140 mph; 120 kn; 61 m/s). However, after PAGASA revised its wind signal system in 2022, the threshold was lowered to typhoons with winds of at least 185 km/h (115 mph; 100 kn; 51 m/s).

This list includes only super typhoons that made landfall with strong wind speeds and caused major damage. Weaker storms have also made landfall in the Philippines, causing significant damage and loss of life. For example, tropical storms Ondoy and Sendong resulted in more than 400 deaths each.

In November 1995, Typhoon Angela (Rosing), a catastrophic Category 5-equivalent super typhoon, made landfall in Catanduanes and moved across Luzon. Bicol Region and Metro Manila were the most affected areas. Signal #4 was raised in Metro Manila, a rare event that did not happen again in the area for 25 years. Winds reached speeds of 290 km/h (180 mph). Rosing caused 936 deaths and over 10 billion pesos in damage. It was the strongest typhoon to hit Metro Manila in terms of wind speed.

Typhoon Bopha (Pablo), the most powerful typhoon to strike Mindanao, made landfall in eastern Mindanao as a Category 5-equivalent super typhoon with winds of 280 km/h (170 mph). Davao Oriental was the worst-hit area. Damage totaled over 42 billion pesos (US$1.04 billion), making it the costliest storm to impact Mindanao and the entire country at that time. At least 1,067 people died, and 834 were reported missing. Most damage was caused by storm surges and strong winds.

Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda), one of the most powerful storms in the world in terms of wind speed, made landfall in several areas of the Philippines in November 2013 as a Category 5-equivalent super typhoon. Leyte and Samar islands were the hardest hit, especially Tacloban, where the storm's eyewall passed through. Haiyan caused over 6,300 deaths, with damages reaching 90 billion pesos. It was the deadliest and most destructive typhoon in the country’s history. More than 1,000 people went missing, and nearly 20,000 were injured. Winds reached 315 km/h (196 mph), making Haiyan the strongest storm in history in terms of reliably measured wind speeds until Hurricane Patricia in 2015.

Typhoon Goni (Rolly), the most powerful tropical cyclone to make landfall anywhere in the world based on one-minute measured wind speeds, hit Catanduanes as a Category 5-equivalent super typhoon in October–November 2020. Winds reached 315 km/h (196 mph) at landfall. Bicol Region was the worst-hit area, and Signal #4 was raised in Metro Manila for the first time since Typhoon Angela (Rosing). Evacuation efforts were complicated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, as health and safety protocols were in place. Damage from the storm totaled over 20 billion pesos (US$369 million).

Climate types

There are four officially identified climate types in the Philippines, and they depend on how much rain falls in different areas (you can see the Philippine Climate Map at the top of this page). They are explained below:

Temperature

The average temperature from all weather stations in the Philippines, except Baguio, is 26.6 °C (79.9 °F). January is typically the coolest month, with an average temperature of 25.5 °C (77.9 °F), while May is the warmest month, with an average of 28.3 °C (82.9 °F). Elevation plays a major role in temperature differences across the Philippines. Baguio, located 1,500 m (4,900 ft) above sea level, has a much cooler average temperature of 18.3 °C (64.9 °F), which is about 4.3 °C (8 °F) lower than the national average. In 1915, William H. Brown of the Philippine Journal of Science studied temperatures for one year at the top of Mount Banahaw, which is 2,100 m (6,900 ft) above sea level. The average temperature recorded there was 18.6 °C (65.5 °F), which is 10 °C (18 °F) cooler than the average temperature in lowland areas.

Humidity

Relative humidity in the Philippines is very high. The large amount of moisture in the air makes hot weather feel even hotter. This moisture comes from several factors, such as water evaporating from the seas that surround the country, the winds that blow regularly during different seasons, and the frequent tropical rain. The first factor, evaporation from the seas, is a main reason for the high humidity found in all areas of the country throughout the year. The other two factors, seasonal winds and tropical rain, affect how much humidity there is in different months and in different parts of the island group.

Seasons

The country has two main seasons:

• The rainy season, which lasts from about June to October. This time of year is linked to the Southwest Monsoon, also called Hanging Habagat. In 2025, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced that the rainy season began on June 3.
• The dry season, which runs from about November to May. The dry season can be split into two parts:
• (a) the cool dry season, from about November to February, linked to the Northeast Monsoon, also called Hanging Amihan; and
• (b) the hot dry season, from about March to May. The months of April and May, which are hot and dry, are often referred to as "summer." This name comes from the summer season in temperate countries, which occurs from June to August and overlaps with the country’s Southwest Monsoon period.

Climate change

Climate change is causing serious problems in the Philippines, including more frequent and stronger natural disasters, rising sea levels, heavy rainfall, shortages of natural resources, and harm to the environment. These issues have greatly affected the country's agriculture, water supplies, buildings, human health, and coastal ecosystems. These problems are expected to continue causing major harm to the Philippines' economy and society.

According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the Philippines is one of the countries most likely to experience disasters. The country is located near the Pacific Ocean's typhoon belt, which makes it vulnerable to about 20 typhoons each year, with one in four being destructive. Typhoon Odette, which hit in December 2021, caused nearly $1 billion in damage to infrastructure, homes, and farms, and displaced 114,943 people. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) reported in 2022 that Typhoon Odette affected the lives of 9.9 million people. Tragically, the storm also caused the deaths of 407 people by December 2022.

In addition to being near the typhoon belt, the Philippines is located in the "Pacific Ring of Fire," an area with many earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Climate change is making these risks worse, as rising sea levels increase the chance of flooding and landslides. Also, areas with a history of colonization, like the Philippines, face greater challenges from climate change. These regions often rely heavily on natural resources, have less ability to adapt to changes, and lack environmental diversity, which weakens their ability to survive natural disasters. The Philippines, which was colonized by Spain, has limited environmental and economic strength to deal with current problems like natural disasters and climate change. This lack of recovery ability worsens the situation, creating a cycle of harm.

The Philippines, which has over 7,000 islands, is very vulnerable to climate change. Rising sea levels are threatening coastal communities, causing more flooding and forcing people to leave their homes. Typhoons are becoming more common and stronger, leading to widespread damage and economic losses. Changes in rainfall patterns are disrupting farming, which affects food supplies and people's jobs. The country's diverse wildlife is also at risk, as rising temperatures and ocean acidification harm ecosystems and marine life. To address climate change, the Philippines needs a plan that includes reducing greenhouse gas emissions, building resilience through adaptation, and working with other countries to help vulnerable nations.