MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Carina (Gaemi) intensified as it headed for Taiwan before dawn on Wednesday, July 24, with its maximum sustained winds increasing from 150 kilometers per hour to 155 km/h.

The typhoon’s gustiness is now up to 190 km/h from the previous 185 km/h, added the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in its 5 am bulletin on Wednesday.

Carina was last spotted 290 kilometers northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, moving northwest at 25 km/h. It has stayed offshore and did not make landfall in the Philippines.

With its current pace, the typhoon could make landfall in the northern part of Taiwan on Wednesday afternoon or early evening. Taiwan is within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), given its proximity to Northern Luzon.

Since Carina’s diameter is wide, Batanes and Babuyan Islands will continue to have moderate to heavy rain (50-100 millimeters) from the typhoon on Wednesday.

Tropical cyclone wind signals also remain in effect in these areas as of 5 am on Wednesday:

Signal No. 2

Gale-force winds (62 to 88 km/h), minor to moderate threat to life and property

• Batanes

Signal No. 1

Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h), minimal to minor threat to life and property

• Babuyan Islands
• northern part of mainland Cagayan (Claveria, Santa Praxedes, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Abulug, Ballesteros, Aparri, Camalaniugan, Buguey, Santa Teresita, Santa Ana, Gonzaga)
• northern part of Ilocos Norte (Burgos, Bangui, Pagudpud, Dumalneg, Adams)

In addition, Carina is still enhancing the southwest monsoon or habagat, which has been dumping rain in parts of Luzon. For the next three days, this is PAGASA’s latest outlook for the enhanced southwest monsoon:

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, rest of Cordillera Administrative Region, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Calamian Islands

Thursday, July 25

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Region, Apayao, Abra, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro

Friday, July 26

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Zambales, Bataan

Since 3 am on Wednesday, Metro Manila has been among the areas under a red rainfall warning, which means serious flooding is expected in flood-prone areas. This prompted Malacañang to suspend all classes, as well as work in most government offices, in the capital region for the day.

The Supreme Court also suspended work in all courts in the National Capital Judicial Region on Wednesday.

There will be no trading at the Philippine Stock Exchange as well.

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

Wednesday, July 24

• Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, eastern part of Isabela, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao

Thursday, July 25

• Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, eastern part of Isabela, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas, Negros Occidental, Northern Samar

Friday, July 26

• Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, eastern part of Isabela, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Western Visayas

Meanwhile, PAGASA released a new gale warning at 5 am on Wednesday for the coastal waters of Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and the northern part of Cagayan, particularly Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Santa Teresita, and Buguey. Travel is risky for small boats due to rough to very rough seas (waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high).

Aside from coastal waters under the gale warning, the seaboards listed below are affected by Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon on Wednesday, too. It is also not advisable for small boats to venture out to sea.

• seaboards of Northern Luzon and western seaboard of Central Luzon – rough seas (waves 2.5 to 4 meters high)
• western seaboard of Southern Luzon – moderate to rough seas (waves 1.5 to 3.5 meters high)
• eastern seaboards of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon – moderate to rough seas (waves 1.5 to 3 meters high)
• southern seaboard of Southern Luzon – moderate seas (waves 1.5 to 2.5 meters high)
• western and eastern seaboards of the Visayas as well as eastern seaboard of Mindanao – moderate seas (waves 1.5 to 2 meters high)

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After Carina’s expected landfall in Taiwan, it may leave PAR on Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning, July 25.

Outside PAR, “Carina will cross the Taiwan Strait and make its final landfall over southeastern China” on Thursday morning or early afternoon, PAGASA said.

“Its landfall over northern Taiwan will trigger a weakening trend for the rest of the forecast period,” the weather bureau added.

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