Signal No. 1 raised due to Typhoon Fabian; monsoon rain not over

In preparation for strong winds from Typhoon Fabian (In-fa), the state weather bureau placed Batanes and Babuyan Islands under Signal No. 1 on Wednesday evening, July 21.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in a bulletin released past 11 pm that Fabian was already 575 kilometers northeast of Itbayat, Batanes.

The typhoon has turned southwest over the Philippine Sea, moving at 15 kilometers per hour (km/h).

It maintained its strength, with maximum sustained winds of 150 km/h and gustiness of up to 185 km/h.

Fabian will stay away from Philippine landmass, but PAGASA said strong winds extend outwards up to 640 kilometers from the typhoon’s center.

“Due to the large extent of tropical cyclone winds,” the state weather bureau explained, Signal No. 1 was raised for Batanes and Babuyan Islands. The two areas should brace for strong winds within 36 hours.

Fabian itself is still not directly causing rain. But the southwest monsoon or hanging habagat being enhanced by the typhoon will continue to trigger rain on Thursday, July 22.

Monsoon rain will be experienced in these regions and provinces:

Ilocos Region
Abra
Benguet
Zambales
Bataan
Tarlac
Pampanga
Bulacan
Metro Manila
Cavite
Batangas
Occidental Mindoro
Oriental Mindoro
Romblon
northern part of Palawan including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands

Floods were already reported in some areas on Wednesday as the rainfall ranged from moderate to intense. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

Meanwhile, Cempaka, the tropical cyclone outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) which hit China, is no longer enhancing the southwest monsoon.

PAGASA also warned that travel will remain risky for small vessels in certain seaboards on Thursday, due to the combined effects of Fabian and the southwest monsoon.

Rough to very rough seas (waves 2.5 to 4.5 meters high)

seaboards of areas under Signal No. 1

Moderate to rough seas (waves 1.5 to 3.5 meters high)

northern, western, and eastern seaboards of Luzon

According to PAGASA, Fabian will keep moving southwest or west southwest until Thursday morning; turn west or west northwest for the rest of Thursday until Friday morning, July 23; then shift northwest for the rest of the forecast period.

The typhoon could pass close to or make landfall in Japan’s Miyako, Yaeyama, and Senkaku Islands on Friday evening. Also on Friday, it might reach its peak intensity of 155 to 165 km/h.

Fabian may then leave PAR on Friday evening or Saturday morning, July 24, and cross the East China Sea. It could start to weaken on Saturday as well.

The typhoon may make another landfall in the eastern part of China on Sunday morning, July 25. After that, it is projected to weaken further.

PROJECTED PATH. Forecast track of Typhoon Fabian (In-fa) as of July 21, 2021, 11 pm.

Fabian is the Philippines’ sixth tropical cyclone for 2021 and the second for July.

An average of 20 tropical cyclones form within or enter PAR each year. (READ: LIST: PAGASA’s names for tropical cyclones in 2021)

These are PAGASA’s latest available estimates per month:

2021

July – 1 to 3
August – 2 or 3
September – 2 or 3
October – 2 or 3
November – 2 or 3
December – 1 or 2

2022

January – 0 or 1

The rainy season has been underway since early June. – Rappler.com

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Acor Arceo

Acor Arceo is the head of copy and editorial standards at Rappler. Trained in both online and TV newsrooms, Acor ensures consistency in editorial standards across all sections and also supervises Rappler’s coverage of disasters.