Tropical Storm Crising landfall now ‘less likely,’ but rain persists

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Parts of Northern Luzon will still have moderate to torrential rain due to Tropical Storm Crising (Wipha), says PAGASA late Friday evening, July 18

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Storm Crising (Wipha) passed close to Santa Ana town in Cagayan province and was near Babuyan Islands on Friday evening, July 18, but the weather bureau said it is already “less likely” to make landfall in the area.

Crising was last spotted over the coastal waters of Calayan, Cagayan, moving northwest at a slightly slower 15 kilometers per hour (km/h) as of 10 pm on Friday.

It still has maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h and gustiness of up to 105 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in a briefing past 11 pm.

While Crising’s potential landfall now appears unlikely, it has still been unleashing massive rain in parts of Northern Luzon. Here is PAGASA’s updated rainfall outlook for the tropical storm:

Friday evening, July 18, to Saturday evening, July 19

• Intense to torrential rain (above 200 millimeters): Cagayan, Apayao, Abra, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur
• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Batanes, Isabela, Benguet, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, La Union, Pangasinan
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino

Saturday evening, July 19, to Sunday evening, July 20

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Ilocos Norte

Tropical cyclone wind signals remain in effect here as of 11 pm on Friday:

Signal No. 2

Gale-force winds (62 to 88 km/h), minor to moderate threat to life and property

• Batanes
• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• Isabela
• Apayao
• Kalinga
• northern and central parts of Abra (Manabo, Pidigan, San Juan, Tayum, Langiden, Boliney, Sallapadan, Bucloc, Lagangilang, Danglas, La Paz, Licuan-Baay, Tineg, Malibcong, Peñarrubia, San Isidro, Daguioman, San Quintin, Dolores, Lagayan, Bangued, Bucay, Lacub)
• eastern part of Mountain Province (Natonin, Paracelis)
• eastern part of Ifugao (Aguinaldo, Alfonso Lista)
• Ilocos Norte
• northern part of Ilocos Sur (Cabugao, Sinait, Magsingal, San Juan, San Ildefonso, Santo Domingo, Bantay, San Vicente, Santa Catalina, Caoayan, Vigan City, Santa)

Signal No. 1

Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h), minimal to minor threat to life and property

• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• rest of Mountain Province
• rest of Ifugao
• rest of Abra
• Benguet
• rest of Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• northern part of Pangasinan (San Nicolas, Natividad, San Quintin, San Manuel, Tayug, Sison, San Fabian, Pozorrubio, Laoac, Binalonan, San Jacinto, Manaoag, Mangaldan, Dagupan City, Binmaley, Lingayen, Labrador, Sual, Alaminos City, Bolinao, Anda, Bani, Agno, Burgos, Mabini, Dasol, Calasiao, Santa Barbara, Mapandan, Bugallon)
• northern part of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Baler, Maria Aurora)
• northeastern part of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Pantabangan)

The weather bureau added that there is still a “minimal to moderate risk” of “life-threatening” storm surges with peak heights of 1 to 2 meters in Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur within 24 hours.

Meanwhile, the effects of the southwest monsoon or habagat — still being enhanced by Crising — have started to ease in Bicol, but Metro Manila and more than two dozen provinces are still included in PAGASA’s latest rainfall outlook.

Friday evening, July 18, to Saturday evening, July 19

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Zambales, Bataan, Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, Antique, Negros Occidental
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Metro Manila, Tarlac, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Siquijor, Negros Oriental

Saturday evening, July 19, to Sunday evening, July 20

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Metro Manila, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Palawan, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Antique, Aklan

Sunday evening, July 20, to Monday evening, July 21

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro

The southwest monsoon is also bringing strong to gale-force gusts to these areas:

Saturday, July 19

• Metro Manila, Pangasinan, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Camiguin, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental

Sunday, July 20

• Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Visayas

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For coastal waters, the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon remain under a gale warning, issued at 5 pm on Friday. Several other seaboards may be dangerous for small vessels.

Up to very rough seas (travel is risky for all vessels)

• Seaboards of Batanes and Babuyan Islands – waves up to 6 meters high
• Northern seaboard of Ilocos Norte; remaining seaboards of Cagayan; seaboard of Isabela – waves up to 4.5 meters high

Up to rough seas (small vessels should not venture out to sea)

• Western seaboards of Ilocos Norte, Zambales, Bataan, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands, Palawan, and Antique; southern seaboard of Iloilo; western and southern seaboards of Negros Occidental and Guimaras – waves up to 3.5 meters high
• Southern seaboards of Negros Oriental, Cebu, and Bohol; seaboards of Siquijor and Camiguin; northern seaboard of Zamboanga Peninsula; eastern seaboard of Davao Oriental; remaining seaboards of Palawan – waves up to 3 meters high

Up to moderate seas (small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible)

• Northeastern seaboards of Aurora and Northern Samar; eastern seaboards of Catanduanes and Eastern Samar; remaining seaboards of Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Cebu, and Bohol; northern and western seaboards of Masbate; southern seaboards of Quezon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, and Southern Leyte; northern seaboards of Misamis Oriental, Agusan del Norte, and Surigao del Norte – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Remaining seaboards of Aurora, Polillo Islands, Catanduanes, and Northern Samar; northern seaboard of Camarines Norte; eastern seaboard of Camarines Sur; seaboards of Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, and Dinagat Islands – waves up to 2 meters high

Crising is now expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Saturday morning, July 19.

Outside PAR, it may intensify into a severe tropical storm on Saturday evening or early Sunday morning, July 20.

Crising is the Philippines’ third tropical cyclone for 2025 and the second tropical cyclone for July, after Typhoon Bising (Danas) in the first week of the month.

PAGASA earlier estimated two or three tropical cyclones could develop within or enter PAR in July. – Rappler.com