Tropical Depression Mirasol exits PAR but potentially powerful Nando looms

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PAGASA says Tropical Depression Mirasol is now heading for China, while Tropical Depression Nando could reach typhoon or even super typhoon status in a few days

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression Mirasol accelerated and left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at 6 am on Thursday, September 18.

In contrast, Tropical Depression Nando slowed down over the Philippine Sea, where it could intensify in the coming hours and days.

Mirasol

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Mirasol was already 395 kilometers west of Calayan, Cagayan, as of 10 am on Thursday.

The tropical depression is moving much faster, heading west northwest toward China at 35 kilometers per hour from the previous 10 km/h. It could make landfall in the southern part of China by Saturday, September 20.

So far, Mirasol continues to have maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h and gustiness of up to 70 km/h, but it remains expected to strengthen into a tropical storm on Thursday.

PAGASA said earlier on Thursday that the tropical depression is no longer causing significant rainfall, although it may still bring scattered rain to the Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Zambales, and Bataan.

Signal No. 1, the only tropical cyclone wind signal raised due to Mirasol, was already lifted at 11 am.

Mirasol developed inside PAR last Tuesday, September 16. It made landfall in Casiguran, Aurora, at 3:20 am on Wednesday, September 17, then crossed Northern Luzon, bringing moderate to intense rain and strong winds.

PAGASA added that up to moderate seas may persist in the eastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan; seaboards of Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur; and western seaboard of Pangasinan on Thursday.

Small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible, as waves are up to 2 meters high.

Nando

Meanwhile, Nando was last spotted 1,335 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon at 10 am on Thursday, slowly moving northwest. It is still too far to directly affect the country.

The tropical depression maintained its strength, with maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h and gustiness of up to 70 km/h.

But PAGASA’s latest forecast shows Nando may intensify into a tropical storm on Thursday; a severe tropical storm on Friday, September 19; and a typhoon on Saturday.

The weather bureau is also not ruling out the possibility of Nando strengthening into a super typhoon while crossing extreme Northern Luzon.

In the next 48 hours, Nando is expected to maintain its slow, northwest movement over the Philippine Sea. Then it may start shifting west northwest toward extreme Northern Luzon by Saturday afternoon. While approaching land, it may also begin enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat.

Heavy rain due to Nando and the southwest monsoon could begin on Sunday, September 21, or Monday, September 22.

Signal No. 1 may also be raised in Northern Luzon as early as Saturday, providing lead time of 36 hours to prepare for strong winds.

If Nando does become a super typhoon, the highest possible tropical cyclone wind signal would be Signal No. 5.

Mirasol and Nando are the Philippines’ 13th and 14th tropical cyclones, respectively, for 2025. They also bring to four the number of tropical cyclones in September — the upper end of PAGASA’s estimated range for the month.

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Southwest monsoon

Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon is causing scattered rain and thunderstorms in Mimaropa and Western Visayas, as well as isolated rain showers or thunderstorms in other parts of Southern Luzon and Central Luzon, on Thursday.

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

Thursday, September 18

• La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Tarlac, Pampanga, Benguet, Mimaropa, Quezon, Bicol, Western Visayas

Friday, September 19

• Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan

Saturday, September 20

• Western Visayas, Negros Island Region, Romblon, Masbate

– Rappler.com