Batanes, Cagayan face heavy rain as Francisco becomes super typhoon

MANILA, Philippines – Francisco (Mekkhala) strengthened from a typhoon into a super typhoon at 8 pm on Monday, June 22, then maintained its strength before dawn on Tuesday, June 23, while over the sea east of Northern Luzon.

As of 4 am on Tuesday, Francisco was already 410 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan, moving west northwest at just 10 kilometers per hour (km/h).

The super typhoon has maximum sustained winds of 185 km/h — its peak intensity, so far — and gustiness of up to 230 km/h.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Francisco may either further intensify or maintain its strength until Tuesday afternoon, before weakening back into a typhoon.

Francisco also remains unlikely to make landfall, and will eventually recurve towards Japan’s Ryukyu Islands.

But the super typhoon is bringing rain to parts of Northern Luzon. Here is PAGASA’s latest rainfall outlook, issued at 5 am on Tuesday:

Tuesday, June 23

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 millimeters): Batanes and Cagayan

Wednesday, June 24

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

Thursday, June 25

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

On Tuesday, Aurora and Isabela may also experience scattered rain and thunderstorms due to Francisco.

The weather bureau issued a rainfall outlook for the southwest monsoon or habagat as well.

Tuesday, June 23

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 millimeters): Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, Antique

Wednesday, June 24

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Palawan, Occidental Mindoro

Thursday, June 25

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Palawan, Occidental Mindoro

On Tuesday, the rest of Mimaropa, Calabarzon, Bicol, the rest of the Visayas, and Mindanao are also expected to have scattered rain and thunderstorms because of the southwest monsoon.

PAGASA advised areas affected by both Francisco and the southwest monsoon to watch out for possible floods and landslides.

For strong winds, the following areas remain under Signal No. 1:

• Batanes
• northeastern part of Cagayan (Gonzaga, Santa Ana) including the eastern part of Babuyan Islands (Babuyan Island, Didicas Island, Camiguin Island)

PAGASA said Signal No. 2 might be raised for parts of Babuyan Islands and Batanes if the super typhoon’s track shifts significantly westward. “However, this scenario is becoming less likely,” the weather bureau added.

The southwest monsoon and Francisco’s periphery or outer bands are also bringing strong to gale-force gusts to these areas:

Tuesday, June 23

• most of Luzon, Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental

Wednesday, June 24

• most of Luzon, Visayas, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental

Thursday, June 25

• most of Luzon, Panay Island, Negros Occidental, Northern Samar

In addition, moderate to rough seas persist in certain seaboards on Tuesday.

Up to rough seas (small vessels should not venture out to sea)

• Eastern seaboards of Batanes and Babuyan Islands – waves up to 4 meters high
• Northeastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan – waves up to 3.5 meters high
• Remaining seaboards of Batanes and Cagayan; eastern seaboards of Isabela and northern Aurora – waves up to 3 meters high

Up to moderate seas (small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible)

• Remaining seaboard of Aurora; northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands and Catanduanes; northern seaboards of Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur; eastern seaboard of Davao Oriental – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Seaboard of northern Quezon; northern seaboard of Ilocos Norte; northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Samar; eastern seaboards of Albay, Sorsogon, Eastern Samar, Dinagat Islands, and Surigao del Sur; eastern and southern seaboards of Davao Occidental; southern seaboard of Davao Oriental – waves up to 2 meters high

Francisco is the Philippines’ sixth tropical cyclone for 2026, and the second for June. It could leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday, June 26.

Meanwhile, the low pressure area outside PAR that PAGASA has been monitoring developed into a tropical depression at 8 pm on Monday.

The tropical depression was located 2,680 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon as of 3 am on Tuesday, moving west northwest at 20 km/h. It has maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h and gustiness of up to 70 km/h.

PAGASA Weather Specialist Veronica Torres said the tropical depression could eventually enter PAR, but the weather bureau’s latest analysis shows it might not affect the Philippines.

PAGASA had announced the onset of the southwest monsoon last May 30, and the start of the rainy season on June 4. – Rappler.com