Typhoons in the Northern Hemisphere

This is my hometown,
Tuguegarao

Ybanags, Tuguegarao natives, possess a deep connection to nature, able to predict abrupt weather changes by simply observing the direction of the wind. Growing up, I thought this was my grandfather’s superpower. But as I got older, I realized it was just another kind of Filipino common sense.

The Philippines' climate is heavily shaped by the monsoons, Amihan and Habagat, as well as typhoons, all of which create the country’s weather patterns. Amihan, the cool northeast wind, typically graces us from October to March, while Habagat, the warm, wet wind from the south, takes over the rest of the year. May was always the hottest month, followed by an intense rainy season.

Back when I was young, it seemed like my grandfather was on friendly terms with both Amihan and Habagat—figures not only in our daily lives but also in Filipino folklore. Guided by his innate wisdom, he always knew when to prepare for Habagat. Farm crops were harvested well before rains arrived, and life followed a predictable rhythm: dry season, wet season, repeat.

But that was then. Predictability has since slipped away.