Tropical Storm Maymay (Kujira) is bringing moderate to intense rain to Northern Luzon and Central Luzon, while the southwest monsoon is causing moderate to heavy rain in portions of Southern Luzon and Western Visayas on Wednesday, August 5

MANILA, Philippines – Maymay strengthened from a tropical depression into a tropical storm at 2 am on Wednesday, August 5, as it lingered near La Union.

It was assigned the international name Kujira, a name contributed by Japan which means “whale.”

In a briefing past 5 am on Wednesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Maymay now has maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour from the previous 55 km/h. Its gustiness is now up to 80 km/h from 70 km/h.

As of 4 am, the tropical storm was located 170 kilometers west northwest of Bacnotan, La Union, slowly moving southeast, or at a speed of less than 10 km/h.

PAGASA expects Maymay to make landfall in Ilocos Sur or La Union by Wednesday afternoon or evening, then cross Northern Luzon and Central Luzon until Thursday, August 6.

While crossing land, Maymay might weaken back into a tropical depression by Thursday morning, and subsequently into a low pressure area by Thursday afternoon or evening.

Maymay continues to affect Northern Luzon and Central Luzon. PAGASA’s updated rainfall advisory, issued at 5 am on Wednesday, shows these provinces are the most affected:

Wednesday, August 5

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 millimeters): La Union, Pangasinan, Benguet, Zambales
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Ilocos Sur, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan

Thursday, August 6

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Ilocos Sur, La Union, Benguet
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Pangasinan, Abra, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Kalinga, Nueva Vizcaya

Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon or habagat is the source of rain in Metro Manila, Calabarzon, portions of Mimaropa, and portions of Western Visayas. The most affected areas include:

Wednesday, August 5

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Occidental Mindoro

Thursday, August 6

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Occidental Mindoro
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, Batangas, Antique

Friday, August 7

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, Antique

Areas dealing with rainfall from Maymay and the southwest monsoon must stay on alert for floods and landslides.

Since Maymay intensified into a tropical storm, Signal No. 2 was raised for the first time at 5 am on Wednesday. Below are all the areas under tropical cyclone wind signals.

Signal No. 2

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

• central and southern parts of Ilocos Sur (Gregorio del Pilar, Magsingal, San Esteban, Banayoyo, Cervantes, Burgos, Candon City, Santa Lucia, Santiago, San Vicente, Santa Catalina, Lidlidda, Nagbukel, Suyo, Sigay, San Ildefonso, Galimuyod, Quirino, Vigan City, San Emilio, Caoayan, Alilem, San Juan, Santa, Bantay, Santo Domingo, Sugpon, Tagudin, Santa Cruz, Santa Maria, Narvacan, Salcedo)
• northern and central parts of La Union (Luna, Caba, Santol, Bauang, San Fernando City, San Juan, Bagulin, Aringay, Bangar, San Gabriel, Burgos, Naguilian, Bacnotan, Sudipen, Balaoan)
• northwestern part of Pangasinan (Anda, Bolinao, Bani)
• southwestern part of Abra (Manabo, Pidigan, Langiden, Luba, Boliney, Sallapadan, Bucloc, Tubo, Villaviciosa, Pilar, Peñarrubia, San Isidro, San Quintin, Bangued, Bucay)
• western part of Mountain Province (Besao, Tadian)
• northwestern part of Benguet (Mankayan, Kapangan, Kibungan, Sablan, Bakun)

Signal No. 1

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

• Ilocos Norte
• rest of Ilocos Sur
• rest of La Union
• rest of Pangasinan
• Apayao
• rest of Abra
• Kalinga
• rest of Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• rest of Benguet
• Cagayan
• Isabela
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• northern part of Zambales (Candelaria, Santa Cruz, Masinloc, Palauig)
• northern part of Tarlac (Mayantoc, San Clemente, Camiling, Santa Ignacia, Gerona, Paniqui, Moncada, San Manuel, Anao, Ramos, Pura)
• northern part of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Lupao, Cuyapo, Talugtug, Nampicuan, Guimba, Science City of Muñoz, San Jose City, Pantabangan)
• northern part of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran, Dinalungan, Dipaculao)

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

Wednesday, August 5

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

Thursday, August 6, and Friday, August 7

For the next 24 hours, PAGASA maintained coastal warnings for multiple seaboards with moderate to very rough waters.

Up to very rough seas (travel is risky for all vessels)

• Seaboards of Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan – waves up to 4.5 meters high

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

• Seaboard of Zambales; eastern seaboards of Bataan and Lubang Island – waves up to 3.5 meters high
• Northern seaboard of Batanes; eastern seaboard of southern Ilocos Norte; eastern seaboard of Davao Oriental – waves up to 3 meters high

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

• Remaining seaboards of Ilocos Norte; eastern seaboards of Batanes, mainland Cagayan, Isabela, northern Aurora, and Polillo Islands; northern seaboards of Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur; northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes; northern and western seaboards of Calamian Islands; western seaboards of Occidental Mindoro and northern Palawan – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Remaining seaboards of Batanes, mainland Cagayan, and Aurora; seaboards of Babuyan Islands; northern seaboard of Polillo Islands; seaboards of Northern Samar; eastern seaboards of Romblon, Albay, Sorsogon, Eastern Samar, Dinagat Islands, Siargao-Bucas Grande Islands, and Surigao del Sur; southern seaboard of Davao Oriental; southeastern seaboard of Davao Occidental; western and southern seaboards of Masbate; southern seaboards of Oriental Mindoro and Southern Leyte; western seaboard of Caluya Islands; northern and western seaboards of Surigao del Norte; seaboards of Kalayaan Islands – waves up to 2 meters high

The southwest monsoon will eventually be enhanced by the tropical cyclone with the international name Dolphin, which is still a typhoon outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

Typhoon Dolphin was last spotted 1,845 kilometers east northeast of extreme Northern Luzon at 3 am on Wednesday, moving west at 20 km/h.

Dolphin maintained its strength, with maximum sustained winds of 165 km/h and gustiness of up to 205 km/h. At its peak, it was a super typhoon.

PAGASA Weather Specialist Obet Badrina said the weather bureau is still not ruling out the possibility of Dolphin entering PAR, where it could move near the northern boundary.

Although landfall in the Philippines is less likely for Dolphin, Badrina said the northernmost province of Batanes may be placed under a tropical cyclone wind signal if the typhoon’s winds would reach the area.

Badrina added that Maymay is expected to later be absorbed into the bigger circulation of the typhoon.

Maymay is the Philippines’ 13th tropical cyclone for 2026, and the second for August, coming shortly after Tropical Depression Luis.

PAGASA earlier said two to four tropical cyclones could develop within or enter PAR in August. – Rappler.com