Misamis Occidental has a generally wet climate without a strong dry season, but the relatively driest months are March through May, which are also the hottest. June through November bring the southwest monsoon and the highest rainfall, with occasional typhoons that can affect ferry services across to Lanao del Norte.
The most rewarding time to visit is December, when Tangub's Christmas Symbols Festival lights up the city's main streets for the four weeks before the holiday — one of the more distinctive Christmas celebrations in the Philippines. Mountain hikes in the Malindang range are easiest in the drier months (March–May), when the trails are less slippery and the higher viewpoints are clearer.