General Santos in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), General Santos sees average daytime highs around 30°C and overnight lows near 22°C, with 556 mm of rain over about 57 wet days across the season. It is the 3rd-warmest season and the driest season of the year.
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 30°C. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels oppressive.
Winter is General Santos's best season of the year to visit on our travel score. General Santos has little temperature swing across the year, so its calendar seasons blur — the season framing matters less here than for a place with four distinct seasons. For the whole year in context, see General Santos's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 30°C
- 3rd-warmest season
- Avg overnight low
- 22°C
- Rainfall
- 556 mm
- 57 wet days
- Avg wind
- 6 km/h
- Travel score
- 3.9
- best season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in General Santos in Winter
Across winter, daytime highs hold fairly steady around 30°C.
A typical winter day in General Santos reaches about 30°C and drops to 22°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is February, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in General Santos
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 90 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is heat — humidity pushes the afternoon "feels like" well above the raw temperature.
General Santos weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29° / 22° | 198 | 19.2 | 11.7 | 4.0 |
| Feb | 30° / 22° | 150 | 14.8 | 11.8 | 4.1 |
| Mar | 31° / 22° | 163 | 17.7 | 12 | 3.9 |
| Apr | 31° / 23° | 194 | 20 | 12.1 | 3.4 |
| May | 30° / 23° | 297 | 27 | 12.3 | 2.9 |
| Jun | 29° / 23° | 322 | 27.5 | 12.3 | 3.0 |
| Jul | 29° / 22° | 248 | 27.2 | 12.3 | 3.2 |
| Aug | 29° / 22° | 225 | 26.2 | 12.2 | 3.4 |
| Sep | 29° / 22° | 196 | 24.5 | 12 | 3.3 |
| Oct | 30° / 22° | 270 | 25.8 | 11.9 | 3.1 |
| Nov | 30° / 22° | 256 | 25.2 | 11.7 | 3.2 |
| Dec | 30° / 22° | 208 | 22.5 | 11.7 | 3.6 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 12% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
General Santos gets around 556 mm of rain over 57 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels oppressive — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 6 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 11 h 42 min in early December to 11 h 54 min by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 5.0 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for General Santos
In winter, General Santos overlaps its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
General Santos sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.
Is winter a good time to visit General Santos?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in General Santos.
What to pack for General Santos in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, General Santos sees daytime highs around 30°C and nights near 22°C. Pack light clothes and rain gear. Worth having: sun protection. About 57 days see rain.
Sea temperature near General Santos in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 29°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 27 km away) is warmest in May at about 29°C and coldest in January near 29°C.
The water stays above 20°C all year — warm enough for a swim any month.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 | 29 |
| Comfort | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical | Tropical |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 29 | Tropical |
| Feb | 29 | Tropical |
| Mar | 29 | Tropical |
| Apr | 29 | Tropical |
| May | 29 | Tropical |
| Jun | 29 | Tropical |
| Jul | 29 | Tropical |
| Aug | 29 | Tropical |
| Sep | 29 | Tropical |
| Oct | 29 | Tropical |
| Nov | 29 | Tropical |
| Dec | 29 | Tropical |
UV index in General Santos in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 12 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in General Santos peaks around March 18 at about 15 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 13 at about 11 (extreme).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 12 | 14 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 11 | 10 |
| Level | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme | Extreme |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12 | Extreme |
| Feb | 14 | Extreme |
| Mar | 15 | Extreme |
| Apr | 14 | Extreme |
| May | 13 | Extreme |
| Jun | 12 | Extreme |
| Jul | 12 | Extreme |
| Aug | 13 | Extreme |
| Sep | 13 | Extreme |
| Oct | 13 | Extreme |
| Nov | 11 | Extreme |
| Dec | 10 | Extreme |
Where is General Santos?
General Santos sits at 6.1°N, 125.2°E, 22 m above sea level, in Philippines. The nearest listed city is Alabel, 13 km away.
Topography around General Santos
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of General Santos.
Within 3 km, the terrain around General Santos has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 56 m around an average of 17 m above sea level; within 16 km, large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 702 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,255 m.
The land around General Santos is covered by artificial surfaces (43%), trees (27%) and water (26%) within 3 km, trees (46%) and water (25%) within 16 km, and trees (50%) and water (39%) within 80 km.
Philippines travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 2
- Exercise Increased Caution
- Power plugs
- Type A / B / C
- 230 V · 60 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 33% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $4,171
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.2 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 48%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 4.3
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 12
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- Upper middle
- World Bank
- English
- High
- EF EPI 569
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for General Santos (6.1128°, 125.1717°, elevation 22 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google.