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Tropical storm Gardo (Higos), the seventh tropical cyclone in the Philippines for 2026, will not affect the country.
MANILA, Philippines – Tropical cyclone Higos entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility at 3 p.m. Thursday, June 25, while Tropical Storm Francisco (Mekkhala) left PAR at 7 p.m.
Higos was given a local name Gardenas the Philippines’ seventh tropical cyclone for the year 2026. It is also the third tropical cyclone for June.
Gardo entered PAR as a tropical storm, then intensified into a severe tropical storm at 8 p.m. Its maximum sustained wind is 95 km/h, with gusts up to 115 km/h.
As of 10 p.m., Gardo was located 1,275 kilometers east of Northern Luzon, moving northwest at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Gardo will stay away from land, and may be ready to leave PAR by Friday morning or afternoon, June 26.
There are no rain or wind warnings from Gardo. It will not affect the country.
Meanwhile, Francisco was already 705 kilometers northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, by 10 pm on Thursday.
The strong tropical storm is moving northeast towards Japan’s Ryukyu Islands and the sea south of mainland Japan at a speed of 20 kilometers per hour.
It has maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h and gusts of up to 115 km/h, but may weaken to a tropical storm on Friday. At its peak, Francisco was a super typhoon with sustained winds of 185 km/h.
Francisco did not make landfall, although it brought moderate to moderate rain and strong winds to parts of Northern Luzon. Wave number 1 it was the highest tropical cyclone signal ever raised.
By Thursday evening, the southwest monsoon or southwest is the current climate system in the country. It affects Luzon and Visayas.
Here is the latest PAGASA weather outlook for the southwest monsoon, covering the next 48 hours:
Thursday evening, June 25, to Friday evening, June 26
- Moderate to heavy rainfall (50-100 mm): Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro
Friday evening, June 26, to Saturday evening, June 27
- Moderate to heavy rainfall (50-100 mm): Zambales, Bataan
Apart from the provinces mentioned above, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Ilocos Province, Cordillera Administrative Region, other areas of Cagayan Valley, other areas of Central Luzon, other areas of Mimaropa, and Western Visayas may experience rain and thunderstorms due to the southwest monsoon.
The southwest monsoon may also cause rain showers or thunderstorms in other parts of Luzon and Visayas.
PAGASA added that the southwest monsoon brings strong winds in these areas:
Thursday, June 25
- most of Luzon, Panay Island, Negros Occidental
Friday, June 26
Saturday, June 27
In the next 24 hours, conditions in some sea boards are expected to remain moderate to severe.
To rough seas (small ships should not go to sea)
- Batanes Seaboard – waves up to 3 meters high
Up to moderate seas (small vessels should take precautions or avoid sailing, if possible)
- The northern and western seas of the Babuyan Islands; north of Ilocos Norte sea – waves up to 2.5 meters high
- The rest of the seas of the Babuyan Islands; the maritime boards of mainland Cagayan, Isabela, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Zambales, Lubang Island, and Independence Islands; west coast of Pangasinan, Bataan, and Batangas – waves up to 2 meters high
PAGASA had announced the start of the rainy season last June 4 – Rappler.com
