In the Philippines, Amihan and Habagat refer to the two kinds of winds and seasons that occur in the

country every year.

Amihan is known as the Northeast monsoon while Habagat is known as the Southwest monsoon.

A monsoon is a seasonal rain and wind pattern. "Monsoon" is from the Arabic word, "mawsim" which
means season.

A switch in wind direction is the primary indicator for the change between one monsoon to the other. It
usually takes place during nighttime.

At some periods, the two monsoons switch several times before settling into a pattern for the season.
Amihan and Habagat are also characters in Philippine mythology.

Amihan is the Northeast Monsoon

amihan seasonAmihan is the Filipino term of Northeast monsoon, which is a cool and dry northeast wind
coming from Siberia and China and blows down to Southeast Asia. This season is characterized with
slight to moderate rainfall and a prevailing cold wind that affects east of the Philippines. The monsoon
commonly occurs from October to late March, although occurrence may vary every year.

High peak season in the Philippines is during the amihan season since it brings the best weather
conditions. The air is cool, there is less rain, and humidity is low, plus the sunshine is less threatening.
Northeast monsoon contributes to colder Christmas nights which gives a better ambience fit for the
festive season.

If you're up for a vacation during this season, it is best to pack warmer clothes for the cool evenings
along with your tropical outfits.

Habagat is the Southwest Monsoon

habagat seasonHabagat, on the other hand, is the southwest wind characterized by frequent heavy
rainfall and humid weather. During Southwest monsoon or hanging Habagat, the high-pressure area is at
the Australian continent, and the low-pressure area is at North China, Mongolia, and Siberia. The gusty
winds from the west and excessive rainfall often turn to dangerous typhoons.

While the rain may ease farmers to irrigate the rice fields, the heavy rainfall may trigger floods,
landslides, and potentially endanger residents living near riverbanks. The typhoons that habagat brings,
unfortunately, cause millions, sometimes billions, worth of reconstruction damage and kill hundreds of
Filipinos.
The southwest monsoon affects the country from late June to October (occurrence may also vary each
year). Low season in the Philippines occurs during the habagat season because of frequent rainfall and
high humidity. A series of flash floods and landslides are regular incidents during this season. If you're
planning to take a vacation during this time, you may want to bring rainwear with you.

Cumulus clouds are puffy clouds that sometimes look like pieces of floating
cotton. The base of each cloud is often flat and may be only 1000 meters
(3300 feet) above the ground. The top of the cloud has rounded towers. When
the top of the cumulus resembles the head of a cauliflower, it is called
cumulus congestus or towering cumulus. These clouds grow upward, and
they can develop into a giant cumulonimbus, which is a thunderstorm cloud.