FACT CHECK: No super typhoons in PH Area of Responsibility so far in August

Claim: Two super typhoons have entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) before or on Monday, August 7.

Rating: FALSE

Why we fact-checked this: The YouTube video containing the claim has 39,149 views at the time of writing. It was posted on Monday, August 7, 2023, by a supposed news channel with 519,000 subscribers.

What the video said: The title of the YouTube video says: “2 Super Typhoon, nakapasok na sa bansa! Sobrang lakas!” (Two super typhoons have entered the country! They are powerful!)

No cyclones in PAR: The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) does not mention any super typhoons entering the PAR in its latest weather bulletin. According to its 4 pm forecast on Monday, August 7, 2023, there are currently no tropical cyclones inside the PAR.

The weather bureau said that, at around 3 pm, an “almost stationary” tropical depression was located 2,780 kilometers east northeast of extreme Northern Luzon.

According to the forecast, the southwest monsoon or habagat was affecting Luzon, bringing cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms.

Super Typhoon Mawar (local name Betty), which entered the PAR in May 2023, was the Philippines’ most recent super typhoon. The latest tropical cyclone to enter the PAR was Typhoon Falcon, which exited on August 1.

Rappler has published fact check articles debunking weather-related claims from supposed news YouTube channels:

• FACT CHECK: No Super Typhoon Egay has entered PH Area of Responsibility
• FACT CHECK: No Super Typhoon Dodong has entered PH Area of Responsibility
• FACT CHECK: No super typhoons have formed in the Philippine Area of Responsibility

For weather updates, visit PAGASA’s official social media accounts on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and its website. You can also bookmark Rappler’s Philippine weather page. – Lorenz Pasion/Rappler.com

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