MANILA, Philippines – Chedeng (Guchol) strengthened from a severe tropical storm into a typhoon on Thursday afternoon, June 8, but it continues to spare the Philippines from rain and winds as it remains far from land.

Chedeng’s maximum sustained winds increased from 100 kilometers per hour to 120 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in a bulletin issued at 5 pm on Thursday.

The typhoon’s gustiness is now up to 150 km/h from the previous 125 km/h.

PAGASA sees Chedeng steadily intensifying in the next two to three days. It may reach its peak intensity by Saturday, June 10.

As of Thursday afternoon, the typhoon was located 935 kilometers east of Central Luzon, moving northwest at 15 km/h.

Since Chedeng is far from land, it is not bringing rain to any part of the country and tropical cyclone wind signals are unlikely to be raised. Coastal waters are not affected, too.

But the typhoon could enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat, which may bring gusts, or sudden and strong winds, to these areas:

Friday, June 9

• Visayas, Romblon, Occidental Mindoro, northern part of Palawan including Kalayaan, Calamian, and Cuyo islands, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Camiguin

Saturday, June 10

• Visayas, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands

As for potential monsoon rain, the timing and intensity would depend on how Chedeng enhances the southwest monsoon. The typhoon’s movement and intensity will be taken into account.

If PAGASA sees “an increasing chance” of heavy monsoon rain in the next three days, a weather advisory would be released.

In the meantime, Palawan will still see scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to the southwest monsoon until Friday, June 9. The rest of the country will only have isolated rain showers or localized thunderstorms.

Chedeng is projected to move west northwest to northwest until Friday afternoon, before shifting more toward the north for the rest of Friday until Saturday afternoon.

It is expected to be slow-moving until Saturday, but could speed up toward the north northeast or northeast on Sunday, June 11.

At that rate, it would exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Monday morning, June 12.

Chedeng is the Philippines’ third tropical cyclone for 2023 and the first for June. PAGASA earlier estimated there would be one or two tropical cyclones during the month.

The weather bureau announced the start of the rainy season last Friday, June 2. – Rappler.com