Many people have been asking on the Internet and want to know whether or not the Philippines has any snow. Does the island get cold enough to have areas where it will snow?
It does not snow in the Philippines. Even the coldest recorded temperatures are not cold enough for snow. Because the Philippines is considered a tropical climate with moderate temperatures, the island does get a lot of rain. Climate change has caused the Philippines to have more fierce tropical storms.
Table of Contents
- Does It Snow In the Philippines?
- Philippines and Rainfall
- Philippines, Typhoons and Climate Change
- Related Questions
Does It Snow In the Philippines?
No, it does not snow in the Philippines. The Philippines is a tropical country. The country has two seasons: the rainy season and the hot season. It just does not get cold enough to ever snow in the Philippines.
The coldest temperature ever recorded in the Philippines was 6.3°C or 44°F in Baguio City in 1961. This is very cold for a country used to hot tropical weather. Mount Pulag is also the highest peak in the Philippines at 2800 meters or 9,186 feet. But despite that high altitude, it was only cold enough for the ground to frost and not snow.
Some reports show that in 1903, Baguio reached a temperature of 3°, which would have been slightly colder than the 1961 record, but no one can find any official report that lists or shows that it is the coldest reported temperature. But even at that temperature, it would not snow.
Average Temperatures in the Philippines
When you look at the average temperatures in the Philippines, you can see how warm it can be and why they say the Philippines has a hot and wet season. The weather changes throughout the Philippines as the Philippines is a series of islands where temperatures and even rainfall can vary greatly.
Average temperatures in the Philippines for Metro Manila:
| Month | High – Low °F | High Low °C |
| January | 87 °F – 70 °F | 37 °C – 21 °C |
| February | 89 °F – 70 °F | 31 °C – 21 °C |
| March | 91 °F – 72 °F | 32 °C – 22 °C |
| April | 94 °F – 75 °F | 34 °C – 23 °C |
| May | 93 °F – 77 °F | 33 °C – 25 °C |
| June | 91 °F – 77 °F | 32 °C – 25 °C |
| July | 89 °F – 76 °F | 31 °C – 24 °C |
| August | 88 °F – 76 °F | 31 °C – 24 °C |
| September | 89 °F – 76 °F | 31 °C – 22 °C |
| October | 89 °F – 75 °F | 31 °C – 23 °C |
| November | 89 °F – 74 °F | 31 °C – 23 °C |
| December | 87 °F – 72 °F | 30 °C – 27 °C |
As you can see from this chart, in a place like Manila, the temperature will rarely get down past 70°F or 21°C. Manila has pretty hot temperatures most of the time. From this chart, you can see that snow in Manila would be almost impossible when you have this tropical weather.
Looking at the temperature chart above, you will notice that the warmest months tend to be April, May, and June. This differs from what we usually think of summertime because July, August, and September will have the most rainfall.
Philippines and Rainfall
The Philippines has a lot of rain, far more than many other tropical places worldwide. The heaviest rain is also in July, August, and September each year.
The Philippines has, on average, over 81 inches of rain annually. Compare this to the United States, which has an average rainfall of just over 38 inches of rain per year and an average snowfall of just over 27 inches yearly. The Philippines has more rain or precipitation than the US average.
We can also compare this rainfall to the tropical US state of Hawaii. Hawaii also has a lot of monsoon rains, but it has just over 48 inches of rainfall per year; this is close to almost half of what the Philippines has per year. Put the Philippines has a lot of rain.
Average rainfall for the Philippines in Manila.
Rainfall differs in other parts of Manila, as some areas will get more or less rain. Here is the average rainfall for Manila.
| Month | Average Rainfall In Inches |
| January | 1.59 inches |
| February | 0.77 inches |
| March | 1.8 inches |
| April | 1.17 Inches |
| May | 6.26 Inches |
| June | 8.95 Inches |
| July | 10.65 Inches |
| August | 12.68 Inches |
| September | 12.96 Inches |
| October | 8.98 Inches |
| November | 4.33 Inches |
| December | 3.12 Inches |
Philippines, Typhoons and Climate Change
The Philippines has always been a country where many typhoons have battered. There have been many people who have died due to extreme weather conditions.
In speaking of this, the New York Times said this about the Philippines’ location, weather, and the effect of climate change on the Philippines’ weather:
The country (Philippines) is situated on the so-called Ring of Fire, a seismically active swath encircling the Pacific Ocean that is roiled by earthquakes and volcanoes. Typhoons regularly batter the Philippine archipelago, packed with more than 100 million people. Deadly floods and landslides are common.
New YOrk Times
And now climate change is exacerbating the Philippines’ exposure to natural disasters, making it one of the most vulnerable countries on the planet, scientists say.”
The sea’s temperatures continue to rise due to climate change. The Philippines ‘ position as a warm ocean water country is subject to more prominent and frequently violent tropical storms; in other words, climate change is causing violent storms as never before.
Add the Philippines ‘ deforestation problem, where trees have been cut down along its coastlines. The natural barrier the trees used to help protect against the weather inland is no longer there. The lack of trees means there is little barrier to help save some of the inner areas of the islands.
When people talk of climate change, there is probably no other country in the world, or Southeast Asia, as affected by climate change as the Philippines.
These many violent, fierce storms and typhoons are predicted to continue, and instead of getting better, they will get worse. These storms, of course, will cause massive devastation to life and property.
The Philippines’ weather system is an example of how climate change affects world weather patterns worldwide. The warm sea waters are causing more storms and typhoons throughout the Philippines.
It also shows us the importance of deforestation, which can cause landslides and damage to inland areas, as the trees that used to be a natural barrier are no longer there to help protect an area.
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