Cool mornings have sent many Filipinos scrolling and sharing posts about the so-called “aphelion phenomenon,” but state weather officials say the chill has far less to do with Earth’s distance from the sun than with the steady push of seasonal winds.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) issued an advisory on Feb. 2 to counter viral social media claims linking aphelion to recent cool weather, saying changes in Earth’s orbit do not control short-term weather patterns.

PAGASA said the country’s cooler conditions were driven by the northeast monsoon, locally known as “amihan,” which brings cold and dry air from high-pressure areas in East Asia.

The agency cited a minimum temperature of 19.2 degrees Celsius recorded at the PAGASA Science Garden on Jan. 29 as part of the monsoon’s effects.

The amihan typically affects the country from October to March, producing cooler temperatures, especially in the eastern and northern sections of the Philippines.

After this period, easterly winds usually take over, bringing warmer and more humid conditions ahead of the summer months.

Astronomically, PAGASA explained that Earth travels around the sun in an elliptical orbit, resulting in two points known as perihelion and aphelion.

Perihelion, when Earth is closest to the sun, occurred on Jan. 4, at a distance of about 147.1 million kilometers.

Aphelion, when Earth is farthest from the sun, is expected on July 7, at a distance of about 152.1 million kilometers.

Despite this variation, PAGASA said seasonal changes are governed mainly by the tilt of Earth’s axis, which affects the angle of sunlight and the length of daylight, rather than the planet’s distance from the sun.

PAGASA urged the public to be cautious in sharing unverified scientific claims online and to rely on official sources for weather and climate information.