Tropical Storm Crising moving away but still bringing rain, enhancing monsoon

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Rainfall and wind warnings remain in effect early Saturday morning, July 19, even as Tropical Storm Crising (Wipha) starts heading for China

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Storm Crising (Wipha) began moving away from extreme Northern Luzon before dawn on Saturday, July 19, but it still continues to trigger rain, alongside the enhanced southwest monsoon or habagat.

Crising was already 125 kilometers west northwest of Calayan, Cagayan, as of 4 am on Saturday.

The tropical storm is moving west northwest toward the southern part of China at 25 kilometers per hour (km/h). It is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Saturday morning or early afternoon.

Crising’s maximum sustained winds had increased from 75 km/h to 85 km/h as of 2 am. Its gustiness also went up from 105 km/h to 115 km/h.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 5 am bulletin that Crising is likely to intensify into a severe tropical storm on Saturday, but by then, it would already be outside PAR.

Crising did not make landfall in the Philippines but passed close to mainland Cagayan, particularly the municipality of Santa Ana, and near Babuyan Islands.

PAGASA’s latest rainfall outlook for the tropical storm, also issued at 5 am, shows 14 provinces still dealing with moderate to torrential rain on Saturday.

Saturday, July 19

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

Sunday, July 20

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

There are fewer areas under tropical cyclone wind signals as of 5 am on Saturday, since Crising is already moving away from the country.

Signal No. 2

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

• Batanes
• northern part of Cagayan (Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Ballesteros, Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Santa Teresita, Buguey, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Allacapan, Lal-lo, Lasam, Rizal, Santo Niño, Gattaran, Alcala) including Babuyan Islands
• Ilocos Norte
• northern and central parts of Apayao (Calanasan, Luna, Pudtol, Kabugao, Flora, Santa Marcela)
• northeastern part of Abra (Tineg, Lagayan)

Signal No. 1

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

• rest of Cagayan
• northern part of Isabela (Mallig, Divilacan, Quirino, Gamu, Ilagan City, Burgos, San Manuel, Roxas, San Mateo, Aurora, Luna, Cabatuan, Reina Mercedes, Naguilian, Santa Maria, San Pablo, Maconacon, Cabagan, Tumauini, Delfin Albano, Quezon, Santo Tomas)
• rest of Apayao
• rest of Abra
• Kalinga
• Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• northern part of Benguet (Bakun, Mankayan, Buguias, Kibungan, Kabayan, Atok, Kapangan)
• Ilocos Sur
• northern part of La Union (Bangar, Sudipen, Luna, Balaoan, Santol, San Gabriel, Bacnotan, San Fernando City, San Juan, Bagulin)

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 12 hours.

Meanwhile, moderate to intense rain from the enhanced southwest monsoon persists in parts of Luzon and the Visayas.

Saturday, July 19

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

Sunday, 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

Monday, 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, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol, Mimaropa, Visayas, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Vizcaya, rest of Isabela, rest of La Union, rest of Benguet, Abra, Zamboanga del Norte, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands

Sunday, July 20

• Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Visayas, Zamboanga del Norte

Monday, July 21

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

For coastal waters, PAGASA issued another gale warning at 5 am on Saturday, covering the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon. Several other seaboards remain 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 – waves up to 4.5 meters high

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

• Seaboards of Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands, and Kalayaan Islands; western seaboards of Palawan including Calamian Islands; western seaboard of Pangasinan – waves up to 4 meters high
• Seaboards of Isabela; western seaboards of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Batangas, and Antique; southern seaboard of Iloilo; western and southern seaboards of Guimaras; remaining seaboard of Pangasinan – waves up to 3.5 meters high
• Western seaboards of Negros Occidental; 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; northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes; eastern seaboard of Eastern Samar; western and southern seaboards of Negros Oriental; northern and western seaboards of Masbate; southern seaboards of Quezon, Marinduque, and Oriental Mindoro; seaboards of Romblon; eastern and southern seaboards of Davao Oriental – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Remaining seaboards of Aurora; northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands; northern seaboards of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, and Agusan del Norte; eastern seaboards of Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Dinagat Islands; southern seaboards of Siquijor, Cebu, Southern Leyte, Davao Occidental, and Sarangani; northern and western seaboards of Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan, Sulu, and Tawi-Tawi; seaboards of Misamis Occidental – waves up to 2 meters high

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