The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,000 islands in the western Pacific just north of the equator. The larger islands are very mountainous. The southernmost islands have an equatorial climate with rather uniform precipitation throughout the year. The rest of the island chain has a tropical monsoon climate much like Indochina with a single period of heavy rainfall. The peak rainfall for most areas occurs from July to October when the southwesterly monsoon blows.

For these islands, the rainfall is enhanced further during the period of August to October, when Pacific typhoons threaten. Most of these typhoons first develop east of the Philippines and then intensify as they move to the South China Sea. These storms often threaten loss of life from flooding and mudslides.

Temperatures are high throughout the year. During the wet season, cloudy, humid conditions make the high temperatures more difficult to take. During the dry season, conditions are more pleasant with slightly lower humidities and refreshing sea breezes.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES