Domeng strengthens into typhoon east of Northern Luzon

MANILA, Philippines – Domeng (Jangmi) intensified from a severe tropical storm into a typhoon on Saturday afternoon, May 30, while staying offshore over the Philippine Sea.

In a bulletin issued at 5 pm on Saturday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Domeng now has maximum sustained winds of 120 kilometers per hour from the previous 100 km/h. Its gustiness is now up to 150 km/h from 125 km/h.

The typhoon was last spotted 815 kilometers east of Northern Luzon as of 4 pm, still moving northwest at 20 km/h.

Domeng is not expected to make landfall in the Philippines, and may eventually recurve towards Japan.

But the trough or extension of the typhoon is bringing scattered rain and thunderstorms to Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, and Quezon on Saturday evening. Flash floods and landslides are possible.

In addition, Domeng is enhancing the southwest monsoon, which is causing scattered rain and thunderstorms in Mimaropa, Batangas, Western Visayas, the Negros Island Region, Zamboanga Peninsula, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, and Lanao del Norte on Saturday evening.

Rain from the enhanced southwest monsoon may worsen in the following provinces starting Sunday, May 31:

Sunday afternoon, May 31, to Monday afternoon, June 1

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 millimeters): Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, Antique

Monday afternoon, June 1, to Tuesday afternoon, June 2

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Bataan, Batangas, Palawan, Occidental Mindoro, Antique, Iloilo, Guimaras

Floods and landslides are possible.

Meanwhile, it remains “less likely” for tropical cyclone wind signals to be raised, given Domeng’s distance from land. But PAGASA is not ruling out the possibility of extreme Northern Luzon being placed under a wind signal.

The enhanced southwest monsoon and the periphery or outer bands of the typhoon will also bring strong to gale-force gusts to these areas:

Saturday, May 30

• most of Visayas, Batanes, Cagayan, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Sarangani, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental

Sunday, May 31

• most of Visayas, Batanes, Cagayan, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin, Agusan del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Sarangani, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental

Monday, June 1

• most of Visayas, Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Camiguin, Dinagat Islands, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental

In the next 24 hours, moderate to rough seas are likely to persist in certain seaboards.

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

• Seaboard of Batanes; eastern seaboards of Babuyan Islands and mainland Cagayan – waves up to 3.5 meters high
• Seaboard of Isabela; northern seaboard of Babuyan Islands; eastern seaboard of northern Aurora – waves up to 3 meters high

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

• Remaining seaboards of Babuyan Islands, mainland Cagayan, and Aurora; northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands, Catanduanes, and Northern Samar; eastern seaboards of northern Quezon and Eastern Samar; northern seaboards of Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Seaboards of Southern Leyte, Surigao del Norte, and Dinagat Islands; eastern seaboard of Davao Occidental; southern seaboard of Bohol; northern seaboards of Ilocos Norte and Camiguin; eastern and southern seaboards of Davao Oriental – waves up to 2 meters high

Domeng is projected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Monday, June 1. It is the country’s fourth tropical cyclone for 2026, and the second for May.

PAGASA is expected to soon declare the start of the rainy season, which typically begins in the second half of May or the first half of June. – Rappler.com