Tropical Storm Verbena makes seventh landfall in Palawan

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Storm Verbena (Koto) made its seventh landfall in Linapacan, Palawan, at 10:50 pm on Tuesday, November 25, then began moving away from the area.

Verbena’s previous landfalls were in these areas, 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)

As of 1 am on Wednesday, November 26, Verbena was back offshore over the coastal waters of Linapacan, heading northwest at 25 kilometers per hour (km/h). It will move over the West Philippine Sea and may pass north of Kalayaan Islands in the evening.

Prior to its seventh landfall, Verbena intensified further, with its maximum sustained winds increasing from 65 km/h to 75 km/h. Its gustiness is now up to 105 km/h from 80 km/h.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 2 am bulletin on Wednesday that Verbena may strengthen into a severe tropical storm on Wednesday afternoon or evening, on its way out of the Philippine Area of Responsibility. It may exit PAR on Thursday morning, November 27.

Verbena is still bringing moderate to intense rain to parts of Southern Luzon in the coming hours, but rain has generally eased in other areas. Floods and landslides remain possible.

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

The following areas remain under tropical cyclone wind signals as of 2 am on Wednesday:

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:

Wednesday, November 26

• most of Luzon, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Negros Occidental

Thursday, November 27

• Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan

Certain seaboards will still be dangerous on Wednesday because of 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; western seaboards of northern mainland Palawan and Calamian Islands – 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; 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).

Meanwhile, significant rain from the shear line is now expected to be generally confined to Northern Luzon. Metro Manila was among the areas removed from PAGASA’s updated rainfall outlook, released at 11 pm on Tuesday.

Tuesday evening, November 25, to Wednesday evening, November 26

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Apayao, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Kalinga, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino

Wednesday evening, November 26, to Thursday evening, November 27

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

Thursday evening, November 27, to Friday evening, 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