The climate of the Philippines is tropical and strongly monsoonal i.e. wet-dry. In general, rain-bearing winds blow from the southwest from approximately May to October, and drier winds come from the northeast from November to February. Thus, temperatures remain relatively constant from north to south during the year, and seasons consist of periods of wet and dry. Throughout the country, however, there are considerable variations in the frequency and amount of precipitation. The western shores facing the South China Sea have the most marked dry and wet seasons.

• The dry season generally begins in December and ends in May, the first three months being cool and the second three hot; the rest of the year constitutes the wet season. The dry season shortens progressively to the east until it ceases to occur.
• During the wet season, June to December rain is heaviest along the Eastern shores facing the Pacific Ocean. From June to December tropical cyclones (typhoons) often strike the Philippines. Most of these storms come from the southeast, their frequency increasing from south to north. Typhoons are heaviest in Samar, Leyte, south-central Luzon, and the Batan Islands, and, when accompanied by floods or high winds that threaten life and property. Mindanao is generally free from such storms.
• November through February constitutes the most agreeable season; the air is cool and invigorating at night, and the days are pleasant and sunny. During the hot part of the dry season in most places—especially in the cities of Cebu, Davao, and Manila the temperature sometimes rises as high as 38 °C. Overall temperatures decline with elevation, however cities and towns located at higher elevations experience a pleasant climate throughout the year; at times the temperature in those places dips close to 4 °C.