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• Factors causing various Climatic Phenomena:

  • Monsoons
  • Global warming
  • El Niño Southern oscillation (ENSO)
  • Tropical cyclones, hurricanes, and Typhoons
• Monsoon is a seasonal shift in the direction of the prevailing winds of a region, causing dry and wet seasons especially in the tropics
• Two Kinds of Monsoons:

  • Amihan (northeast monsoon) occurs from late October to March, affecting the eastern part of the country, bringing cool dry air from high pressure over Siberia
  • Habagat (southwest monsoon) brings heavy rains from July to September, affecting the western part of the country with hot and humid weather and heavy rainfall
• Global warming refers to the gradual increase in the overall temperature of Earth’s atmosphere, leading to changes in climate, affecting rainfall patterns, arrival of seasons, and extreme weather conditions
• Greenhouse effect: sun’s energy absorbed by greenhouse gases like water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbon (CFC), with water vapor being the most abundant greenhouse gas
• El Niño Southern oscillation (ENSO) is a significant climate phenomenon that alters atmospheric circulation globally, affecting temperature and precipitation
• Three Phases of the ENSO cycle:

  • El Niño: warming of ocean surface in central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean
  • La Niña: cooling of ocean surface along tropical west coast in South America or eastern tropical Pacific Ocean
  • Neutral: trade winds blow from east to west across the Pacific Ocean, bringing warm moist air to the western Pacific and cooler central Pacific sea surface temperatures
• Weather refers to the day-to-day atmospheric conditions, including temperature, precipitation, and humidity
• Climate is the average weather condition prevailing in a given area over a longer period of time
• Factors affecting climate:

  • Latitude: Closer regions to the equator receive more energy from the sun, leading to hotter climates. Regions farther from the equator receive less light and energy, resulting in cooler climates
  • Prevailing Winds: Different wind zones like Polar easterlies, Westerlies, Horse Latitudes, Trade winds, and Doldrums affect climate in various regions
  • Altitude: Higher places have colder temperatures than lower areas
  • Distance from the sea: Coastal areas tend to be cooler in summer and warmer in winter compared to inland areas at the same altitude
• Types of Climate according to Wladimir Peter Köppen:

  • Tropical Climate: Found near the equator with temperatures above 18°C year-round and two seasons - dry and wet
  • Dry Climate: Very hot summers with rare precipitation, common in arid or semiarid areas
  • Temperate Climate: Moderate rainfall, warm summers, and cool winters, typical of middle latitudes
  • Continental Climate: Variation in temperature throughout the year with hot summers, cold winters, and limited rainfall
  • Polar Climate: Characterized by cool summers, very cold long winters, and the presence of permafrost
• Climate in the Philippines:

  • The climate in the Philippines is tropical with high temperature, humidity, and abundant rainfall
  • Mean annual temperature is 26.6°C, with the coolest month in January and the warmest in May
  • Average humidity ranges from 71% in March to 85% in September
  • Mean annual rainfall is between 965-4,064mm
  • The Philippines has two seasons: dry season from late October to May and rainy season from June to early October
• Microclimate:

  • Microclimate refers to localized climatic conditions near Earth's surface, influenced by various factors like temperature, moisture, winds, vegetation, soil, elevation, latitude, and season
  • Microclimates in the Philippines can be categorized into four types with different seasonal patterns