Crising intensifies into severe tropical storm, exits PAR; monsoon rain worsens

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Severe Tropical Storm Crising (Wipha) is still affecting parts of Northern Luzon and enhancing the southwest monsoon on Saturday, July 19, even after its exit from the Philippine Area of Responsibility

MANILA, Philippines – Crising (Wipha) intensified from a tropical storm into a severe tropical storm at 8 am on Saturday, July 19, then left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at 10 am. But even after its exit, it is still causing rain and enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat.

In a briefing past 11 am on Saturday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Crising was already 235 kilometers west of Itbayat, Batanes, outside PAR.

The severe tropical storm slowed down, moving west northwest toward the southern part of China at 15 kilometers per hour from the previous 25 km/h.

It now has maximum sustained winds of 100 km/h from 85 km/h, while its gustiness increased to 125 km/h from 115 km/h. PAGASA said Crising may strengthen further into a typhoon on Sunday afternoon or evening, July 20.

Crising did not make landfall in the Philippines, but it has been bringing rain, mainly to Northern Luzon. It passed close to mainland Cagayan and Babuyan Islands before leaving PAR.

Within the next 24-hour period, or from Saturday noon to Sunday noon, PAGASA said there will still be rain from Crising in the following provinces:

• 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

Tropical cyclone wind signals have yet to be completely lifted, too, as “strong to storm-force winds extend outwards up to 600 kilometers from the center” of the severe tropical storm. This means winds are still reaching portions of Northern Luzon due to Crising’s size.

Signal No. 2

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

• Batanes
• western part of Babuyan Islands (Dalupiri Island, Calayan Island)
• northwestern part of Ilocos Norte (Burgos, Pasuquin, Pagudpud, Dumalneg, Bangui)

Signal No. 1

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

• rest of Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• northern part of La Union (Bangar, Sudipen, Luna, Balaoan, Santol, San Gabriel, Bacnotan, San Juan)
• Abra
• Apayao
• Kalinga
• rest of Cagayan

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, Babuyan Islands, and Ilocos Norte within 12 hours.

Meanwhile, rain from the enhanced southwest monsoon has worsened in some areas, including Metro Manila. The capital region is already seeing heavy to intense rain on Saturday, after earlier experiencing moderate to heavy rain.

Saturday noon, July 19, to Sunday noon, July 20

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

Sunday noon, July 20, to Monday noon, July 21

• 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 noon, July 21, to Tuesday noon, July 22

• 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, Isabela, rest of La Union, 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, the gale warning released at 5 am on Saturday is still in effect for the northern and western 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; northern seaboard of Ilocos Norte – waves up to 4.5 meters high

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

• Remaining seaboards of Cagayan; seaboards of 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
• Seaboard of Zambales; 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
• Seaboard of Isabela; 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