MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Carina (Gaemi) left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Thursday morning, July 25, but it continues to enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat.

As of 10 am on Thursday, Carina was already 515 kilometers north northwest of Itbayat, Batanes, outside PAR.

The typhoon is moving west northwest at 20 kilometers per hour (km/h), heading for the southeastern part of China, where it is projected to make its second and final landfall on Thursday afternoon or evening.

Carina’s first landfall was in Taiwan, which is within PAR. The typhoon did not make landfall in the Philippines, but still affected parts of Northern Luzon and has been enhancing the southwest monsoon.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 11 am bulletin on Thursday that Carina weakened further as it left PAR, with its maximum sustained winds down to 140 km/h from 150 km/h. Its gustiness also eased to 215 km/h from 250 km/h.

At its peak, Carina was a super typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 185 km/h, but it was at this strength for only a few hours on Wednesday, July 24.

Despite Carina’s exit from PAR, Batanes remains under Signal No. 1, as strong winds from the typhoon are still reaching the province. Signal No. 2 was the highest tropical cyclone wind signal raised due to Carina.

There has been no more heavy rain directly from Carina since Wednesday night.

In some areas affected by the enhanced southwest monsoon, the situation has gradually begun to improve, although there may still be occasional rain. Metro Manila, which was placed under a state of calamity, is one of the areas seeing improved weather conditions on Thursday compared to Wednesday.

But PAGASA warned that parts of Luzon still have heavy to intense rain on Thursday, and they should continue to watch out for floods and landslides. These are the areas still affected by the enhanced southwest monsoon, based on a separate advisory from the weather bureau issued at 11 am:

Thursday, July 25

Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Ilocos Region, Zambales, Benguet

Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Pampanga, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Abra, Bataan

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, Pangasinan

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

Thursday, July 25, and Friday, July 26

Batanes, Babuyan Islands, 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

Saturday, July 27

Batanes, Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, Marinduque, Romblon, Kalayaan Islands

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For coastal waters, a gale warning remains in effect for Batanes (waves 3.7 to 4.5 meters high) as well as Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and the northwestern part of Cagayan (waves 2.8 to 4.5 meters high). Travel remains risky for small boats due to rough to very rough seas.

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.

western seaboard of Central Luzon – rough seas (waves 2.5 to 4 meters high)

northern and western seaboards of Northern Luzon outside gale warning areas as well as western seaboard of Southern Luzon – moderate to rough seas (waves 1.5 to 4 meters high)

eastern seaboard of Northern Luzon – moderate to rough seas (waves 1.5 to 3.5 meters high)

eastern seaboards of Central Luzon and Southern Luzon as well as southern seaboard of Southern Luzon – up to moderate seas (waves 1 to 2.5 meters high)

western and eastern seaboards of the Visayas as well as eastern seaboard of Mindanao – up to moderate seas (waves 1 to 2 meters high)

Carina was 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.