Verbena intensifies into severe tropical storm over West Philippine Sea

MANILA, Philippines – Verbena (Koto) strengthened from a tropical storm into a severe tropical storm at 8 am on Wednesday, November 26, while moving away from Palawan.

In a briefing past 11 am on Wednesday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Verbena now has maximum sustained winds of 95 kilometers per hour, with gustiness of up to 115 km/h.

The severe tropical storm was located 375 kilometers west of Coron, Palawan, or 310 kilometers east northeast of Pag-asa Island, Kalayaan, Palawan, as of 10 am.

It is moving west at a relatively fast 35 km/h, and may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning, November 27.

Outside PAR, Verbena could intensify into a typhoon on Thursday, but it is likely to weaken soon after due to the surge of the northeast monsoon or amihan.

As Verbena continues to move away, there are no more areas dealing with significant rainfall from the tropical cyclone. In the past couple of days, it brought moderate to intense rain that triggered floods.

Signal No. 1 remains raised in Kalayaan Islands as of 11 am on Wednesday, as strong winds are still expected in the island group, located in the West Philippine Sea.

Signal No. 2 was the highest tropical cyclone wind signal raised due to Verbena.

The surge of the northeast monsoon and the severe tropical storm are also causing gusty conditions even in these areas that are not under a wind signal:

Wednesday, November 26

• Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Occidental Mindoro, rest of Palawan

Thursday, November 27

• Batanes, Cagayan, Apayao, Abra, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Zambales, Bataan, Lubang Island, Palawan

Friday, November 28

• Batanes, Cagayan, Apayao, Abra, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur

In addition, Verbena and the northeast monsoon are still affecting the country’s seaboards, mostly in Luzon.

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 mainland Cagayan and Kalayaan Islands – waves up to 5 meters high
• Remaining seaboards of Ilocos Region – waves up to 4.5 meters high

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

• Seaboard of Isabela – waves up to 4 meters high
• Seaboards of Zambales, Aurora, and northern mainland Quezon; western seaboards of Bataan, Lubang Island, Calamian Islands, and northern mainland Palawan; northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands; northern seaboard of Camarines Norte – waves up to 3 meters high

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

• Northern seaboards of Camarines Sur and Calamian Islands; northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes and Northern Samar; eastern seaboards of Albay, Sorsogon, and Eastern Samar; western seaboard of Occidental Mindoro – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Seaboards of Antique, Cuyo Islands, Cagayancillo Islands, and Surigao del Sur; western seaboards of Batangas and Aklan; southern seaboards of Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro; eastern seaboards of Camarines Sur, Dinagat Islands, and Davao Oriental; northern and eastern seaboards of Siargao-Bucas Grande Islands; remaining seaboards of Catanduanes, Calamian Islands, and northern mainland Palawan – 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 made landfall in the country seven times — the first six as a tropical depression, and the seventh as a tropical storm.

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)
• Linapacan, Palawan (10:50 pm)

While Verbena is no longer causing significant rain, the shear line will still dump moderate to intense rain in several provinces in Luzon. Here is PAGASA’s updated rainfall outlook, issued at 11 am on Wednesday:

Wednesday noon, November 26, to Thursday noon, November 27

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

Thursday noon, November 27, to Friday noon, November 28

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

Friday noon, November 28, to Saturday noon, November 29

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

Floods and landslides remain likely.

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