Tropical Depression Verbena heads for northern Palawan

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression Verbena is expected to make its final landfall in the northern portion of Palawan on Tuesday evening, November 25, after passing over the coastal waters of the Cuyo archipelago, which is also part of the province.

At 4 pm on Tuesday, the center of the tropical depression was located off the municipality of Cuyo. It is moving west at a slower 25 kilometers per hour from the previous 35 km/h.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 5 pm bulletin that Verbena still has maximum sustained winds of 55 km/h, with gustiness of up to 70 km/h.

But Verbena may strengthen into a tropical storm within 6 to 12 hours, and “further intensification is likely” once it reaches the West Philippine Sea on Wednesday, November 26. Over the West Philippine Sea, it is projected to pass north of Kalayaan Islands on Wednesday evening.

Verbena has made landfall at least six times:

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)

Verbena, which has triggered floods and landslides, is still bringing significant rain to nearly a dozen provinces in the regions of Mimaropa, Bicol, and Western Visayas on Tuesday evening. These provinces are:

• 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 depression.

Meanwhile, only portions of Mimaropa and Western Visayas remain under Signal No. 1 as of 5 pm on Tuesday. Strong winds persist in these areas:

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

If Verbena becomes a tropical storm, Signal No. 2 could be raised.

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

Tuesday, November 25

• Luzon, Visayas, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Norte

Wednesday, November 26

• Luzon, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Dinagat Islands

Thursday, November 27

• Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Mimaropa, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Western Visayas

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. Outside PAR, it could reach its peak intensity late Thursday or early Friday, November 28.

While Verbena is affecting fewer provinces, the shear line 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