MANILA, Philippines – Super Typhoon Goring (Saola) was already moving away from Northern Luzon late Wednesday morning, August 30, but Severe Tropical Storm Haikui was approaching the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

Goring was last spotted 125 kilometers west southwest of Basco, Batanes, as of 10 am on Wednesday. The super typhoon is still moving west northwest at 15 kilometers per hour (km/h).

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) expects Goring to keep moving west northwest until its exit from PAR on Wednesday night or Thursday morning, August 31.

Goring continues to have maximum sustained winds of 195 km/h and gustiness of up to 240 km/h. It is likely to remain a super typhoon until Friday, September 1, according to PAGASA.

Goring did not make landfall, but it has been directly affecting Northern Luzon and has also been enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat.

Signal No. 3 was lifted as of 11 am on Wednesday, with winds from the super typhoon continuing to ease. Only Signal Nos. 1 and 2 remain in effect.

Signal No. 2

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

• Batanes
• Babuyan Islands

Signal No. 1

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

• Ilocos Norte
• extreme northern part of Ilocos Sur (Sinait, Cabugao, San Juan)
• Apayao
• northern part of Abra (Tineg, Lagayan, Danglas)
• northern and central parts of Cagayan (Amulung, Santo Niño, Piat, Rizal, Lasam, Gattaran, Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Lal-lo, Santa Teresita, Buguey, Baggao, Alcala, Camalaniugan, Aparri, Allacapan, Ballesteros, Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez Mira, Pamplona, Abulug)

Even as Goring is moving away, however, there will still be rain in parts of Northern Luzon in the next 24 hours. Floods and landslides remain possible.

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

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Meanwhile, PAGASA updated its rainfall forecast for the enhanced southwest monsoon as of 11 am on Wednesday. The weather bureau reiterated that floods and landslides could also hit affected areas, with the rain generally moderate to intense.

Wednesday, August 30

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

Thursday, August 31

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

Friday, September 1

• 100-200 mm: Zambales, Bataan, Pangasinan, Occidental Mindoro
• 50-100 mm: Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Batangas, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, La Union, Benguet

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

PAGASA also issued another gale warning at 8 am on Wednesday, still due to both Goring and the enhanced southwest monsoon. These seaboards are covered:

• 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 Northern Luzon and Central Luzon (western coast of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan) – 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, Occidental 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 Northern Luzon and Central Luzon, seaboards of Quezon and Bicol (eastern seaboard of Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, northern Quezon, southern Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Sorsogon, Masbate) – rough to very rough seas, with waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high
• central and eastern seaboards of Visayas, eastern seaboard of Mindanao (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 Saturday, September 2.

It may move “nearly parallel to the coast of Guangdong, China,” but PAGASA said landfall is possible in mainland China on Sunday, September 3.

“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.

Haikui is set to be the second tropical cyclone for the month, as it is projected to enter PAR on Wednesday afternoon or evening. Its local name would be Hanna.

As of 10 am on Wednesday, Haikui was located 1,465 kilometers east of extreme Northern Luzon, moving north at 15 km/h.

The severe tropical storm still has 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 may “continuously intensify within the next five days.” It may become a typhoon on Wednesday, then reach its peak intensity on Friday.

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 northwest over the East China Sea. – Rappler.com