The Philippines is one of the most visited countries for tourism; however, it is also one of the many countries with a hot temperature. As you may be encouraged to visit, you might be surprised by the hot temperature, especially if you come from countries with snow. You will experience frequent sweating and thirstiness, primarily if you are not used to the local temperature.
The reason why the Philippines is so hot is that this country is near the equator. Due to direct sun exposure, the temperature in the country is relatively hot. Another thing to consider aside from its location is the urbanization that contributes to the heating.
You might be planning to have a trip or wants to have an extreme vacation in the Philippines. Before doing so, I’d like to share some valuable information about the local temperature. Being informed is merely essential, so you can prepare to bring your sunscreens and stuff before buying a ticket and coming to this tropical country. Below are pieces of information about why it is so hot in the Philippines.
Equatorial Location
The warm and hot temperatures are experienced mainly by tropical countries like the Philippines. The sun’s rays are directed to the country’s location, making it warm throughout the year. The location of the Philippines is at the latitude of 14° 34′ 59.99″ North and a longitude of 121° 00′ 0.00″ East; the country’s location is near the equator.
Due to the position and location of the Philippines, the temperature all year round is high. Since the Philippines has many islands, there are variations when it comes to the temperature. The hottest city of the Philipines is Tuguegarao, which recorded the hottest temperature in the country at 42.2 degrees Celcius on May 11, 1969.
Dry Seasons
One of the reasons the Philippines has a hot temperature is that the country has only wet and dry seasons. The country experiences warmer temperatures when the dry season starts. The dry season usually occurs as early as November up until May. The country may experience warm and humid temperatures throughout the year, but it is typically most humid during May. There is minimal rainfall during the dry season, and days are mostly sunny, adding a warmer temperature.
Temperature and Humidity
The temperature and humidity are factors to consider why the Philippines are experiencing hot temperatures. Since the Philippines is an archipelago, water bodies are surrounding it; when the temperature rises and becomes warmer, the humidity of the environment decreases, making the air drier. Though temperature and humidity are different things, the two of them reciprocate.
The average temperature in the Philippines is around 25 degrees Celcius to 32 degrees Celcius. On the other hand, the annual average humidity percentage of the Philippines is 77 percent. The humidity percentages vary from month since there is 71 percent humidity percentage during March while it takes 85 percent during September.
Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)
The movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone results in the dry and wet seasons in the Philippines. During the summer season, the movement of ITCZ goes to the North in the Northern Hemisphere. The location of the Philippines is near the equator, wherein it receives more heat from the sun. Also, the country is an archipelago with thousands of islands; the warm bodies of water surround it results in high humidity levels. ITCZ affects the seasons and temperatures in the Philippines; however, the changes in the ITCZ may result in hotter temperatures or, in severe cases, cause drought.
Urban Heat Island
A phenomenon when the city is experiencing extreme heat due to urbanization is called Urban Heat Island. Though the Philippines has a warm temperature due to its location, another factor that adds up to why it is getting warmer is because many people occupy a particular place. Let’s take, for example, Metro Manila; most people from the provinces will go to Manila or, most likely, to highly urbanized Luzon for greener pasture.
Due to a lot of people going into the urbanized area, the population rapidly grows. Since the growth of the urban population is rising, the need for land spaces is relatively critical. Due to insufficient land spaces, they cut trees to give space for high buildings. There are fewer trees that will regulate the temperature.
Due to urbanization, most places have a lot of factories and cars that create pollution. A large amount of harmful smoke from these factories and vehicles makes the environment warmer. In addition to that, the city buildings make the environment hotter than other places with fewer buildings. The urbanized areas with city buildings are ten times hotter than those with fewer or no building structures.
Upon arriving in Manila, most foreigners will always feel the scorching temperature. Not only them but also Filipinos tend to feel hot and sticky. However, some places are not the same, especially when you go to provinces with lots of trees, vegetation, and less urbanized. There is good access to fresh air, especially if you go to areas near the beaches or mountains.
Deforestation
The Philippines is one of many countries in the tropical regions with massive deforestation. In the data gathered in the 1990s, 70% of forests have vanished due to deforestation. This thing is very alarming, which contributes a lot to global warming. Most places in the Philippines that have made a lot of cutting trees experience extreme heat conditions. Most of these places are highly urbanized cities wherein their turn forests into an urban area. Deforestation played a massive part in the increase of temperature in most places in the Philippines
Take-Aways
Since the Philippines have a tropical maritime climate, you will experience humid and warm temperatures when you come and visit the country. There are lots of factors that contribute to this warm temperature which includes natural and man-made elements. The Philippines is near the equator, which makes the country hot throughout the year. What adds up to the hot temperature is the result of urbanization. The infrastructure makes the city absorb more heat due to high-rise buildings and deforestation.