Tropical Depression Dante unlikely to hit land, but enhancing southwest monsoon

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Tropical Depression Dante, the Philippines' fourth tropical cyclone for 2025, is far from landmass. The enhanced southwest monsoon, however, will remain a threat.

MANILA, Philippines – One of the two low pressure areas (LPAs) inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) developed into a tropical depression at 2 pm on Tuesday, July 22.

Its local name is Dante, as the country’s fourth tropical cyclone for 2025. It is also the third tropical cyclone for July, after Typhoon Bising (Danas) and Severe Tropical Storm Crising (Wipha).

In a briefing past 5 pm on Tuesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Dante was located 1,115 kilometers east northeast of Central Luzon or 1,130 kilometers east of Northern Luzon, moving north northwest at 20 kilometers per hour (km/h).

The tropical depression has maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h and gustiness of up to 55 km/h.

There are no rainfall warnings and tropical cyclone wind signals raised due to Dante, and it is not expected to make landfall in any part of the country.

Instead, Dante is projected to move north or north northwest over the Philippine Sea from Tuesday evening to Wednesday, July 23, before turning northwest toward Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and the East China Sea. Also on Wednesday, it could intensify into a tropical storm.

While Dante will not make landfall, it is enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat, which has been battering parts of Luzon with moderate to torrential rain.

On Tuesday afternoon, PAGASA maintained its three-day rainfall outlook for the enhanced southwest monsoon, reiterating that the following areas may be affected:

Tuesday afternoon, July 22, to Wednesday afternoon, July 23

• Intense to torrential rain (above 200 millimeters): Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro
• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Pangasinan, Benguet, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Laguna, Rizal
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Abra, Nueva Ecija, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Marinduque, Romblon, Masbate, Sorsogon, Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Antique, Iloilo, Guimaras, Negros Occidental

Wednesday afternoon, July 23, to Thursday afternoon, July 24

• Intense to torrential rain (above 200 mm): Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan
• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): La Union, Benguet, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Nueva Vizcaya, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Marinduque, Romblon, Albay, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Antique

Thursday afternoon, July 24, to Friday afternoon, July 25

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Apayao, Abra, Benguet, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Rizal, Laguna, Quezon, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan, Antique

Affected areas must continue to watch out for floods and landslides.

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

Tuesday, July 22

• Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Visayas, Dinagat Islands

Wednesday, July 23

• Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Visayas, Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands

Thursday, July 24

• Ilocos Region, Abra, Benguet, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Visayas, Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands

Due to the effects of the southwest monsoon, Malacañang suspended classes in all levels and government work for Wednesday in Metro Manila and 36 provinces.

In the next 24 hours, coastal conditions will also be risky for small vessels in certain seaboards.

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

• Seaboards of Batanes and Kalayaan Islands; western seaboards of Zambales, Bataan, Lubang Island, Occidental Mindoro, and Calamian Islands – waves up to 3 meters high

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

• Seaboards of Babuyan Islands and Ilocos Region; southern seaboard of Bataan; western seaboards of Cavite, Batangas, and Palawan – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Seaboards of Camarines Norte, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, and Romblon; northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes and Northern Samar; eastern seaboards of Albay, Sorsogon, and Davao Oriental; western seaboard of Masbate; southern seaboard of Quezon; remaining seaboards of Batangas and Occidental Mindoro; northern seaboard of Camarines Sur – waves up to 2 meters high

Dante may exit PAR on Thursday, July 24, or Friday, July 25.

Meanwhile, the other LPA inside PAR was located 155 kilometers east southeast of Basco, Batanes, at 3 pm on Tuesday. PAGASA Assistant Weather Services Chief Chris Perez said this LPA may either move toward extreme Northern Luzon and exit through the PAR northwestern boundary, or get absorbed by Dante.

In addition, the weather bureau is still monitoring an LPA outside PAR, last spotted 2,705 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas at 2 pm.

Both LPAs continue to have a “medium” chance of developing into a tropical depression within 24 hours, according to PAGASA. – Rappler.com