Carina strengthens into tropical storm east of Aurora

MANILA, Philippines – Carina intensified from a tropical depression into a tropical storm on Saturday afternoon, July 20, while staying over the Philippine Sea.

It has been given the international name Gaemi, a name contributed by South Korea.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 5 pm bulletin on Saturday that Carina now has maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour from the previous 55 km/h. Its gustiness is now up to 80 km/h from 70 km/h.

The tropical storm was last spotted 630 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora. It maintained its west northwest direction but slowed down to 15 km/h from 30 km/h.

PAGASA reiterated that Carina “will generally have a mainly offshore path over the next five days.”

Since it is projected to remain far from Philippine landmass, Carina is still “less likely” to cause heavy rain in the next three days. But the weather bureau said possible changes in future forecasts could “affect the heavy rainfall outlook.”

PAGASA is also not ruling out the raising of Signal No. 1 for extreme Northern Luzon and the eastern part of Northern Luzon.

The latest forecast shows Carina may strengthen into a severe tropical storm by Monday, July 22, and into a typhoon by Tuesday, July 23. Rapid intensification is possible, according to the weather bureau.

Carina will also enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat in the next few days.

PAGASA warned of moderate to heavy rain (50 to 100 millimeters) due to the southwest monsoon in the following areas:

Saturday, July 20

• Kalayaan Islands

Sunday, July 21

• Zambales, Bataan, Kalayaan Islands

Monday, July 22

• Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, Batangas, Cavite, Occidental Mindoro, northern part of Palawan

Floods and landslides are possible.

The southwest monsoon will also bring gusty conditions to these areas:

Saturday, July 20, and Sunday, July 21

• Kalayaan Islands

Monday, July 22

• Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Zambales, Bataan, Western Visayas

In addition, Carina and the southwest monsoon will cause moderate seas — with waves 1 to 2 meters high — in the eastern seaboard of the country.

ALSO ON RAPPLER

• Marcos signs New Government Procurement Act, anti-scam law
• Drug war cop who headed Davao City police for only 4 hours was Baste’s pick
• What makes ‘BINIverse’ in Cebu extra special?

Carina is the Philippines’ third tropical cyclone for 2024. The second, Tropical Depression Butchoy, left the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Saturday morning.

Butchoy and Carina both developed on Friday evening, July 19. By that time, Butchoy was already moving away from Philippine landmass, with no direct impact. But as a low pressure area, it had affected parts of the country earlier in the week, alongside the southwest monsoon.

PAGASA previously estimated there may be two or three tropical cyclones in July. – Rappler.com