Typhoon Carina (Gaemi) remains a strong tropical cyclone despite the downgrade on Wednesday evening, July 24

MANILA, Philippines – Carina (Gaemi) weakened back into a typhoon as it “looped” near the coast of Taiwan on Wednesday evening, July 24, just a few hours after it intensified into a super typhoon.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) cited Carina’s “prolonged interaction with the mountainous terrain of Taiwan over the past several hours” as the reason for its weakening.

Carina’s maximum sustained winds fell from 185 kilometers per hour to 175 km/h — still a strong tropical cyclone. Its gustiness eased from 230 km/h to 215 km/h.

At 10 pm on Wednesday, Carina was located 335 kilometers north of Itbayat, Batanes, moving southwest at 15 km/h.

The center of the typhoon had yet to hit Taiwan, which is within the Philippine Area of Responsibility. Landfall there is expected between Wednesday evening and early Thursday morning, July 25, followed by Carina’s exit from PAR also on Thursday morning.

The upcoming landfall in Taiwan “will result in a weakening trend,” added PAGASA.

Carina did not make landfall in the Philippines, but still brought rain and strong winds due to its size.

PAGASA said on Wednesday evening that the typhoon’s outer rainbands are no longer affecting parts of Northern Luzon. But tropical cyclone wind signals remain raised in the following areas:

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)

Carina also continues to enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat, with heavy to intense rain still possible in four provinces in Luzon on Thursday.

Metro Manila, which was placed under a state of calamity on Wednesday due to the enhanced southwest monsoon, could still have moderate to heavy rain on Thursday. Weather in the capital region is expected to gradually improve after that.

Check out PAGASA’s updated rainfall forecast here:

Thursday, July 25

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Zambales, La Union, Pangasinan, Benguet
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Metro Manila, Bulacan, Pampanga, Cavite, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, rest of Ilocos Region, Abra, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro

Friday, July 26

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

Saturday, July 27

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

Strong to gale-force gusts from the enhanced southwest monsoon will persist in these regions and provinces as well:

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, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Davao Region

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

ALSO ON RAPPLER

• LIST: Areas under state of calamity due to southwest monsoon enhanced by Carina
• How prone is your area to flooding? Check UP NOAH’s website.
• CrowdStrike says bug in quality control process led to botched update

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For coastal waters, a gale warning remains in effect for Batanes, Babuyan Islands, the northern part of Ilocos Norte, and the northern part of Cagayan. Travel remains risky for small boats due to rough to very rough seas (waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high).

Aside from areas under the gale warning, the seaboards listed below will continue to be affected by Carina and the enhanced southwest monsoon. It is also not advisable for small boats to venture out to sea.

• seaboards of Northern Luzon outside gale warning areas 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)

Once the typhoon leaves PAR, it will “cross the Taiwan Strait and make its final landfall over southeastern China” on Thursday afternoon or evening.

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