Verbena strengthens into tropical storm as it nears Palawan

MANILA, Philippines – Verbena intensified from a tropical depression into a tropical storm while approaching Palawan’s Calamian Islands and the northern mainland portion of the province early Tuesday evening, November 25.

Verbena’s maximum sustained winds increased from 55 kilometers per hour to 65 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in a briefing past 8 pm on Tuesday. Its gustiness is now up to 80 km/h from 70 km/h.

The tropical storm was last spotted over the coastal waters of Linapacan, Palawan, at 7 pm. It slowed down further, moving west northwest at 20 km/h from 25 km/h.

PAGASA said Verbena is still projected to make its final landfall in northern Palawan on Tuesday evening. Afterwards, it will emerge over the West Philippine Sea early Wednesday morning, November 26, then pass north of Kalayaan Islands on Wednesday evening. Also on Wednesday, it may strengthen further into a severe tropical storm.

Verbena has made landfall at least six times, all as a tropical depression:

Monday, November 24

• Bayabas, Surigao del Sur (1:30 pm)
• Jagna, Bohol (11:10 pm)

Tuesday, November 25

• Talisay City, Cebu (2:40 am)
• Vallehermoso, Negros Oriental (5:50 am)
• San Lorenzo, Guimaras (7:40 am)
• Miagao, Iloilo (8:50 am)

Since Verbena became a tropical storm, PAGASA has raised Signal No. 2 for the first time.

Signal No. 2

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

• Calamian Islands
• extreme northern part of mainland Palawan (El Nido, Taytay, Araceli)

Signal No. 1

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

• Occidental Mindoro
• Oriental Mindoro
• southern part of Romblon (Santa Fe, Ferrol, Looc, San Jose)
• northern and central parts of Palawan (Dumaran, Roxas, San Vicente, Puerto Princesa City) including Cuyo and Cagayancillo Islands
• Antique
• northwestern part of Aklan (Malay, Buruanga, Nabas)

The surge of the northeast monsoon or amihan and the tropical storm are also causing gusty conditions in areas not under tropical cyclone wind signals here:

Tuesday, November 25

• Luzon, Western Visayas, Negros Occidental, Northern Samar, Samar, Biliran

Wednesday, November 26

• Luzon, Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Camarines Norte

Thursday, November 27

• Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Lubang Island, Palawan

As for rainfall, Mimaropa, parts of Bicol, and parts of Western Visayas may still have significant rain from Verbena in the coming hours. Floods and landslides continue to threaten these affected provinces:

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 millimeters): Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Palawan
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Marinduque, Romblon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Albay, Aklan, Antique

The rest of Bicol, rest of Western Visayas, Negros Occidental, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar will also have scattered rain and thunderstorms on Tuesday evening due to the trough or extension of the tropical storm.

Conditions in certain seaboards remain dangerous as well, due to both Verbena and the northeast monsoon.

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

• Seaboards of Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, and Ilocos Sur – waves up to 6 meters high
• Seaboards of Kalayaan Islands; northern seaboard of mainland Cagayan – waves up to 5 meters high
• Remaining seaboards of Ilocos Region and mainland Cagayan – waves up to 4.5 meters high

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

• Seaboards of Isabela, Aurora, and northern mainland Quezon; western seaboards of northern mainland Palawan and Calamian Islands; northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands – waves up to 4 meters high
• Seaboards of Camarines Norte, Antique, and Cuyo Islands; western seaboard of Zambales; western and southern seaboards of Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands; southern seaboard of Oriental Mindoro; northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes; remaining seaboards of northern mainland Palawan and Calamian Islands – waves up to 3.5 meters high
• Western seaboard of Bataan; eastern seaboards of Albay, Sorsogon, Eastern Samar, and Dinagat Islands; northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Samar and Siargao-Bucas Grande Islands – waves up to 3 meters high

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

• Seaboards of Marinduque, Romblon, Aklan, Surigao del Sur, and Davao Occidental; eastern seaboards of Oriental Mindoro, Camarines Sur, and Davao Oriental; western seaboards of Masbate, Negros Occidental, and the rest of Palawan; southern seaboard of Iloilo; western and southern seaboards of Guimaras; remaining seaboards of Quezon and Catanduanes – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Seaboard of Batangas; remaining seaboards of Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro – waves up to 2 meters high

Verbena is the Philippines’ 22nd tropical cyclone for 2025, and the third for November, after Typhoon Tino (Kalmaegi) and Super Typhoon Uwan (Fung-wong).

It may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility early Thursday morning, November 27.

Meanwhile, PAGASA maintained its outlook for the shear line, which is still causing rain in much of Luzon, particularly Metro Manila, the Cordillera Administrative Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Cagayan, Isabela, Quirino, and Nueva Vizcaya. The following areas must stay on alert for floods and landslides:

Tuesday afternoon, November 25, to Wednesday afternoon, November 26

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Apayao, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Batangas

Wednesday afternoon, November 26, to Thursday afternoon, November 27

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Cagayan, Apayao
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Isabela, Kalinga

Thursday afternoon, November 27, to Friday afternoon, November 28

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Cagayan
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Isabela, Apayao

The shear line refers to the point where cold air from the northeast monsoon converges with the easterlies or warm winds from the Pacific Ocean. – Rappler.com