Baguio's Climate

Most people’s idea of a cool climate in the country is Baguio’s climate. Throughout history people refer to Baguio when they talk of retreating to some place in the archipelago where the climate is definitely cooler.

Of course, there are other places in the country higher than Baguio and with cooler climates. Just look at Mt. Apo in Davao. Problem is, there’s no city on Mt. Apo. Only expert climbers enjoy its cool climate. Baguio is a city on top of mountains so people go there, stay a while, and enjoy cool climate.

Baguio’s climate is generally 10 degrees cooler than the climate in the lowlands, like Metro Manila. It can get to as low as 15 degrees and no higher than 26 degrees Celsius. Often, Baguio’s climate steadies at 20 degrees. If we want Baguio’s super cool climate we go up any month from November to February. It’s a very cool Christmas in December.

In the super cool months it’s advisable to always take a thick jacket and umbrella when touring Baguio. Clouds and fogs get so low they touch the ground and often give zero visibility. Even in Burnham Park which is among low places in the city, very low clouds slowly drift by and sometimes cause some drizzle. The Zigzag roads are especially slippery at such times.

In summer months (March to June), climate hits 20 to 26 degrees, though at times sudden isolated rain showers happen and the climate can abruptly change. We may take sweaters on tours, especially on early mornings and late afternoons and more so in the evenings. From 9 in the morning to 3 in the afternoon, we may wear casual clothes like t-shirts, shorts, or similar types.

On rainy days Baguio gets really wet and soaked with rainfall double of those in lowlands. From May to October few people tour Baguio. But then they are the few lucky ones who enjoy thicker fogs that render visibility barely at a meter distance. When the climate drops to low levels, rains and Baguio City are a perfect mix for romantic vacations and appetities get stimulated.

Jacket-clad folks roaming the streets and delighting in the cool climate make Baguio a unique city in the country. In earlier times Baguio had a much cooler climate due to the unspoiled quality of its environs—lush pine trees, less pollution, less populace. But modernity entered the scene, plus the effects of climate change, and now sometimes we have dry and hot spells even in Baguio City. Sometimes.