MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Egay (Doksuri) weakened further as it continued to inch away from the Philippines late Wednesday evening, July 26, but it is still affecting much of Luzon and enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat.

In a briefing past 11 pm on Wednesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Egay’s maximum sustained winds are down to 155 kilometers per hour from 165 km/h. Its gustiness also eased to 190 km/h from 230 km/h.

Egay previously reached a peak intensity of 185 km/h, as a super typhoon.

As of 10 pm on Wednesday, it was spotted 120 kilometers west northwest of Calayan, Cagayan, or 170 kilometers west southwest of Basco, Batanes.

The typhoon is moving west northwest at a slightly slower 10 km/h from 15 km/h. It is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday morning, July 27.

Egay is still seen to bring heavy rain to the following provinces until Thursday afternoon, however, given its wide circulation:

• 100-200 millimeters (mm): Ilocos Norte, northern part of Ilocos Sur, northern part of Abra
• 50-100 mm: western part of Babuyan Islands, western part of Apayao, rest of Abra, rest of Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan

PAGASA reiterated that there could be more floods and landslides.

Meanwhile, tropical cyclone wind signals remain raised in these areas as of 11 pm on Wednesday:

Signal No. 3

Storm-force winds (89 to 117 km/h), moderate to significant threat to life and property

• northwestern part of Ilocos Norte (Bangui, Pagudpud, Burgos, Pasuquin)

Signal No. 2

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

• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• Batanes
• rest of Ilocos Norte
• northern and central parts of Ilocos Sur (Gregorio del Pilar, Magsingal, San Esteban, Banayoyo, Burgos, Candon City, Santa Lucia, Santiago, San Vicente, Santa Catalina, Lidlidda, Nagbukel, Sinait, Suyo, Sigay, San Ildefonso, Galimuyod, Quirino, Vigan City, San Emilio, Cabugao, Caoayan, San Juan, Santa, Bantay, Santo Domingo, Santa Cruz, Santa Maria, Narvacan, Salcedo, Tagudin, Cervantes)
• Kalinga
• Abra
• Apayao
• western part of Mountain Province (Besao, Sagada, Bontoc, Sadanga, Tadian, Sabangan, Bauko)

Signal No. 1

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

• Isabela
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• rest of Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• Pangasinan
• rest of Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• Zambales
• Aurora
• Nueva Ecija
• Tarlac
• Pampanga
• northern part of Bataan (Morong, Samal, Orani, Hermosa, Dinalupihan)
• northern part of Bulacan (Hagonoy, Doña Remedios Trinidad, Paombong, Malolos City, Plaridel, Guiguinto, Pandi, Bustos, Angat, Calumpit, Pulilan, Baliuag, San Rafael, San Ildefonso, San Miguel)

Egay made landfall twice in Cagayan province on Wednesday, with the first one in Fuga Island, Aparri, at 3:10 am, and the second one in Dalupiri Island, Calayan, at 9:30 am.

PAGASA also said there is still a moderate to high risk of storm surges which may cause floods in the low-lying and exposed coastal areas of the following provinces:

• Batanes
• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• Ilocos Norte
• extreme northern part of Ilocos Sur

“Maximum surge heights may reach 3 meters in most of the warning areas,” the weather bureau said.

For coastal waters, the gale warning released at 5 pm on Wednesday remains in effect:

• seaboards of Northern Luzon (Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela) – rough to very high, with waves 3.7 to 12.1 meters high
• eastern seaboard of Central Luzon (Pangasinan, Aurora) – rough to very rough, with waves 3.1 to 6 meters high
• western seaboards of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon, western seaboard of Visayas (Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan including Kalayaan, Calamian, Cuyo, and Cagayancillo islands, Negros Occidental, Guimaras, Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Antique) – rough to very rough, with waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high
• southern and eastern seaboards of Southern Luzon (Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Marinduque, Romblon, Masbate including Ticao and Burias islands, Quezon including Polillo Islands, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon) – rough to very rough, with waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high
• central and eastern seaboards of Visayas (Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Siquijor) – rough to very rough, with waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high

Travel is risky for all vessels in areas with rough to very high seas, while travel is risky for small vessels in rough to very rough seas.

Egay also continues to enhance the southwest monsoon, which is still causing rain in the western parts of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon, as well as Western Visayas.

Wednesday night, July 26, to Thursday night, July 27

• 100-200 mm: Occidental Mindoro
• 50-100 mm: Western Visayas and northern part of Palawan including Cuyo, Calamian, and Kalayaan islands

Thursday night, July 27, to Friday night, July 28

• 50-100 mm: Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, northern part of Palawan including Cuyo, Calamian, and Kalayaan islands, Antique

Friday night, July 28, to Saturday night, July 29

• 50-100 mm: Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, northern part of Palawan including Cuyo, Calamian, and Kalayaan islands

Metro Manila may again experience occasional rain on Thursday.

In addition, the enhanced southwest monsoon will continue to bring gusty conditions in the next three days.

Thursday, July 27

• Luzon, Western Visayas

Friday, July 28

• Batanes, Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, southern part of Quezon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas

Saturday, July 29

• Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Romblon, Kalayaan Islands, northwestern part of Antique

After Egay leaves PAR, it is projected to make landfall in Fujian, China, on Friday morning, July 28.

PAGASA said Egay may roughly maintain its strength before its expected landfall in China, although slight weakening remains a possibility.

“Rapid weakening is expected once Egay makes landfall over mainland China and moves further inland,” added the weather bureau.

Egay is the Philippines’ fifth tropical cyclone for 2023 and the second for July. PAGASA earlier estimated that two to four tropical cyclones would form inside or enter PAR during the month.

The weather bureau on Wednesday started monitoring a low pressure area (LPA) that formed outside PAR.

On Wednesday evening, the LPA was located 1,650 kilometers east of northeastern Mindanao.

PAGASA Weather Specialist Benison Estareja said the LPA is likely to develop into a tropical depression within 48 hours or by Friday at the latest, while still outside PAR.

The potential tropical depression could enter PAR on Saturday, July 29. More updates are expected in the coming days. – Rappler.com