MANILA, Philippines – Super Typhoon Goring (Saola) was crossing the Balintang Channel, located between Batanes and Babuyan Islands, in the early hours of Wednesday, August 30.

As of 4 am on Wednesday, Goring was already over the coastal waters of Sabtang, Batanes, moving northwest at a faster 20 kilometers per hour (km/h).

It is expected to maintain a northwest or west northwest direction offshore until it leaves the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday night or Thursday morning, August 31. It has not made landfall.

Tthe super typhoon also further intensified around 2 am on Wednesday, with its maximum sustained winds increasing from 185 km/h to 195 km/h – a new peak. Its gustiness rose from 230 km/h to 240 km/h.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in a briefing past 5 am on Wednesday that Goring is likely to remain a super typhoon until Friday, September 1.

Signal No. 5, earlier in effect for Babuyan Island, has been lifted as of 5 am on Wednesday. Here are the areas remaining under tropical cyclone wind signals:

Signal No. 4

Typhoon-force winds (118 to 184 km/h), significant to severe threat to life and property

• southern part of Batanes (Sabtang, Uyugan, Ivana, Mahatao, Basco)
• northern part of Babuyan Islands (Calayan Island, Babuyan Island)

Signal No. 3

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

• rest of Batanes
• southwestern part of Babuyan Islands (Fuga Island, Dalupiri Island)

Signal No. 2

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

• rest of Babuyan Islands
• northern part of mainland Cagayan (Santa Praxedes, Sanchez Mira, Pamplona, Claveria, Abulug, Ballesteros, Santa Ana, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Buguey, Santa Teresita, Gonzaga)
• northern part of Ilocos Norte (Pagudpud, Adams, Bangui, Dumalneg)

Signal No. 1

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

• rest of Cagayan
• Apayao
• northern part of Kalinga (Balbalan, Pinukpuk, Rizal)
• northern part of Abra (Tineg, Lagayan, Lacub, Malibcong, San Juan, Danglas, La Paz)
• rest of Ilocos Norte
• extreme northern part of Ilocos Sur (Sinait, Cabugao, San Juan)

Meanwhile, Goring is still bringing heavy to torrential rain to parts of Northern Luzon on Wednesday, specifically the following areas:

• Greater than 200 mm: southern part of Batanes, northwestern part of Babuyan Islands
• 100-200 mm: Ilocos Norte, northern part of Apayao, extreme northwestern part of mainland Cagayan, rest of Batanes, rest of Babuyan Islands
• 50-100 mm: Ilocos Sur, Abra, rest of Apayao, northwestern part of mainland Cagayan

The weather bureau advised affected areas to remain on alert for floods and landslides.

PAGASA also warned of a “moderate to high risk” of storm surges, “which may cause flooding in the low-lying and exposed coastal areas of the northern portion of Babuyan Islands and the southern portion of Batanes.”

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In addition, Goring continues to enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat, which is causing rain in the western parts of Luzon and the Visayas, particularly these areas:

Tuesday evening, August 29, to Wednesday evening, August 30

• 100-200 mm: northern part of Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo islands, Occidental Mindoro
• 50-100 mm: southern part of Palawan including Cagayancillo, Zambales, Bataan, Antique, Negros Occidental, Guimaras

Wednesday evening, August 30, to Thursday evening, August 31

• 100-200 mm: Occidental Mindoro
• 50-100 mm: Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, northern part of Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo islands

Thursday evening, August 31, to Friday evening, September 1

• 100-200 mm: Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro
• 50-100 mm: Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Pangasinan, northern part of Palawan including Calamian and Cuyo islands

The enhanced southwest monsoon is triggering gusty conditions in these areas as well:

Wednesday, August 30

• Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Zambales, Bataan, Bulacan, Aurora, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas

Thursday, August 31, and Friday, September 1

• Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Zambales, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Aurora, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas

For coastal waters, PAGASA released a new gale warning at 5 am on Wednesday, due to both Goring and the enhanced southwest monsoon:

• northern seaboard of Northern Luzon (Batanes, northern coast of Ilocos Norte, northern coast of Cagayan including Babuyan Islands) – rough to high seas, with waves 3.1 to 7.5 meters high
• western seaboard of Luzon (western coast of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro) – rough to very rough seas, with waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high
• western and southern seaboards of Southern Luzon, western seaboard of Visayas (Metro Manila, Cavite, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Negros Occidental) – rough to very rough seas, with waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high
• eastern seaboard of Philippines, central seaboard of Visayas (eastern seaboard of Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, northern Quezon, southern Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate, Negros Oriental, Cebu, Bohol, Siquijor, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Dinagat Islands) – rough to very rough seas, with waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high

The weather bureau advised fishing boats and other small vessels not to sail, and larger vessels to watch out for big waves.

After Goring’s expected exit from PAR on Wednesday night or Thursday morning, it is projected to head west northwest for the rest of Thursday before shifting toward the west on Friday, then west southwest on Sunday, September 3.

It may move “nearly parallel to the coast of Guangdong, China,” but PAGASA said landfall is possible in mainland China on Sunday.

“Increasingly unfavorable conditions over the waters off the coast of Guangdong will trigger a weakening trend and by Monday (September 4), Goring will have weakened into a severe tropical storm,” added the weather bureau.

Goring is the Philippines’ seventh tropical cyclone for 2023 and the first for August. It is also the third super typhoon for the year, after Betty (Mawar) in May and Egay (Doksuri) in July.

PAGASA previously said it expects two or three tropical cyclones to develop within or enter PAR in August.

The second tropical cyclone for August could enter PAR on Wednesday – Severe Tropical Storm Haikui, to be locally named Hanna.

Haikui was located 1,560 kilometers east of extreme Northern Luzon at 3 am on Wednesday, still moving west northwest at 15 km/h.

It maintained its strength, with maximum sustained winds of 110 km/h and gustiness of up to 135 km/h.

Haikui is seen to remain far from Philippine landmass, which means it is “less likely to directly affect the country.”

But Haikui or the potential Hanna will keep intensifying. It may become a typhoon by Wednesday morning, then reach its peak intensity on Friday evening.

Starting Wednesday or Thursday, it could enhance the southwest monsoon, which may lead to more monsoon rain in the western parts of Luzon and the Visayas.

Haikui is expected to exit PAR on Friday morning, while approaching Japan’s Ryukyu Islands. Outside PAR, it may turn northwest or north over the East China Sea. – Rappler.com