Carina strengthens into typhoon while ‘meandering’ offshore

MANILA, Philippines – Carina (Gaemi) intensified from a severe tropical storm into a typhoon on Monday afternoon, July 22, while “meandering” or wobbling over the Philippine Sea.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 5 pm bulletin on Monday that Carina now has maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour from the previous 110 km/h. Its gustiness is now up to 150 km/h from 135 km/h.

PAGASA added that rapid intensification remains likely for Carina.

The typhoon was last spotted 420 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, at 4 pm on Monday. It is slowly moving north northeast.

Carina will continue to stay far from Philippine landmass, but wind and rainfall warnings are in effect due to the size of the typhoon.

Signal No. 1 remains raised in these areas as of 5 pm on Monday:

• Batanes
• eastern part of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gattaran, Baggao, Peñablanca, Lal-lo, Gonzaga), including the eastern part of Babuyan Islands (Camiguin Island, Babuyan Island)
• northeastern part of Isabela (Divilacan, Palanan, Maconacon)

The following areas also have rain from Carina’s outer rainbands:

Monday afternoon, July 22, to Tuesday afternoon, July 23

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 millimeters): extreme northeastern part of mainland Cagayan
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Babuyan Islands, eastern part of mainland Cagayan, eastern part of Isabela

Tuesday afternoon, July 23, to Wednesday afternoon, July 24

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Batanes
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Babuyan Islands, northeastern part of mainland Cagayan

Wednesday afternoon, July 24, to Thursday afternoon, July 25

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Batanes

Floods and landslides are possible.

Carina also continues to enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat. PAGASA had issued a separate advisory for the enhanced southwest monsoon at 11 am on Monday, with rain seen in the following areas:

Monday, July 22

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro
• Moderate to occasionally heavy rain (50-100 mm): Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Apayao, Abra, Benguet, rest of Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, northern part of Palawan including Cuyo and Calamian Islands, Aklan, Antique

Tuesday, July 23

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Ilocos Region, Abra, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Metro Manila, rest of Cordillera Administrative Region, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, northern part of Palawan including Cuyo and Calamian Islands, Aklan, Antique

Wednesday, July 24

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Ilocos Region, Abra, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Metro Manila, Apayao, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, Batangas, Calamian Islands

Strong to gale-force gusts from the enhanced southwest monsoon will also be felt in these regions and provinces:

Monday, July 22

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

Tuesday, July 23

• Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, Aurora, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao Region

Wednesday, July 24

• Ilocos Region, Abra, Benguet, Apayao, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Isabela, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Northern Samar, northern part of Samar

For coastal waters, Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon will cause moderate to rough seas in the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon (waves 2 to 4 meters high), as well as the western seaboards of Central Luzon, Southern Luzon, and Western Visayas (waves 1.5 to 3 meters high) on Monday. PAGASA advised small boats not to venture out to sea.

The weather bureau added that moderate seas are expected in the eastern seaboards of the Visayas and Mindanao (waves 1.5 to 2 meters high) on Monday. Small boats must take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible.

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Carina is seen to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday night, July 24, or early Thursday morning, July 25.

PAGASA said the typhoon may pass near or over the southern islands of Japan’s Ryukyu archipelago before leaving PAR, then pass close to the northern part of Taiwan after its exit from PAR.

“From Thursday onwards, Carina will move over the East China Sea towards southeastern China,” added the weather bureau.

Carina is the Philippines’ third tropical cyclone for 2024 and the second for July. PAGASA previously estimated there may be two or three tropical cyclones during the month. – Rappler.com