Tropical Storm Basyang slightly strengthens as it nears Surigao del Sur

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Storm Basyang (Penha) slightly intensified on Thursday afternoon, February 5, just hours ahead of its expected landfall in Surigao del Sur.

Basyang’s maximum sustained winds increased from 65 kilometers per hour to 75 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in its 5 pm bulletin on Thursday. The tropical storm’s gustiness is now up to 90 km/h from 80 km/h.

As of 4 pm, Basyang was located 150 kilometers east of Hinatuan, Surigao del Sur, moving west northwest at 25 km/h.

It is expected to make its first landfall in Surigao del Sur on Thursday evening or early Friday morning, February 6, then cross other parts of Mindanao before emerging over the Bohol Sea on Friday morning.

Afterwards, Basyang could pass close to or make landfall again in Siquijor and Negros Oriental by Friday afternoon to evening; emerge over the Sulu Sea by Friday evening or early Saturday morning, February 7; and cross the northern portion of Palawan between Saturday afternoon and evening.

In terms of intensity, Basyang could weaken into a tropical depression by Saturday and subsequently into a low pressure area by Sunday afternoon or evening, February 8.

For the next 24 hours, moderate to torrential rain from Basyang could persist in more than 30 provinces in Mindanao and the Visayas. Beyond that period, the number of affected provinces may drop, but floods and landslides would still be possible.

Thursday afternoon, February 5, to Friday afternoon, February 6

• Intense to torrential rain (above 200 millimeters): Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Camiguin
• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Southern Leyte, Cebu, Bohol, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Bukidnon, Davao del Norte, Davao de Oro, Davao Oriental
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Leyte, Eastern Samar, Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Maguindanao del Norte, Cotabato, Davao del Sur

Friday afternoon, February 6, to Saturday afternoon, February 7

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Palawan
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Negros Occidental

Also from Saturday afternoon to Sunday afternoon, moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm) may hit Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Marinduque, and Camarines Norte, but due to the shear line.

Meanwhile, tropical cyclone wind signals remain in effect in many areas in Mindanao and the Visayas, as well as portions of Mimaropa. Here is the full list as of 5 pm on Thursday:

Signal No. 2

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

• Siquijor
• southern part of Negros Oriental (Dumaguete City, San Jose, Valencia, Bacong, Amlan, Dauin, Sibulan, Zamboanguita, Siaton, Tanjay City, Pamplona, Santa Catalina, Bais City, Manjuyod, Bindoy, Bayawan City, Basay, Mabinay, Ayungon, Tayasan, Jimalalud, La Libertad)
• southern part of Negros Occidental (Candoni, Sipalay City, Ilog, Kabankalan City, Cauayan, Hinoba-an, Himamaylan City, Binalbagan)
• southern part of Cebu (Samboan, Malabuyoc, Oslob, Ginatilan, Alegria, Dalaguete, Boljoon, Alcoy, Santander, Argao, Badian, Moalboal, Ronda, Alcantara, Sibonga, Dumanjug)
• southern part of Bohol (Bilar, Guindulman, Antequera, Sevilla, Loboc, Tagbilaran City, Maribojoc, Pilar, Jagna, Lila, Corella, Loon, Dimiao, Candijay, Alburquerque, Anda, Dauis, Sikatuna, Baclayon, Batuan, Loay, Valencia, Garcia Hernandez, Carmen, Panglao, Duero, Cortes, Balilihan, Sierra Bullones, Catigbian, San Isidro, Calape, Mabini, Alicia, Tubigon, Sagbayan, Clarin)
• Surigao del Norte including Siargao-Bucas Grande Islands
• Surigao del Sur
• extreme northern part of Davao Oriental (Boston)
• Agusan del Norte
• Agusan del Sur
• Misamis Oriental
• northern part of Bukidnon (Impasug-ong, Manolo Fortich, Malitbog, Sumilao, Libona, Baungon, Malaybalay City, Cabanglasan)
• northeastern part of Lanao del Norte (Iligan City)
• northeastern part of Misamis Occidental (Baliangao, Plaridel, Lopez Jaena, Oroquieta City, Calamba, Aloran, Panaon)
• Camiguin

Signal No. 1

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

• southern part of Occidental Mindoro (San Jose, Magsaysay, Rizal, Calintaan)
• southern part of Oriental Mindoro (Mansalay, Bulalacao)
• southern part of Romblon (Ferrol, Looc, Alcantara, Santa Fe, San Jose)
• northern part of Palawan (Taytay, El Nido, Dumaran, Araceli) including Calamian, Cuyo, and Cagayancillo Islands
• southern part of Eastern Samar (Guiuan, Salcedo, Mercedes, Giporlos, Balangiga, Lawaan, Quinapondan, General MacArthur, Hernani, Llorente, Balangkayan)
• southern part of Samar (Marabut, Basey, Santa Rita)
• Biliran
• Leyte
• Southern Leyte
• rest of Bohol
• rest of Cebu
• rest of Negros Oriental
• rest of Negros Occidental
• Guimaras
• Iloilo
• Capiz
• Aklan
• Antique
• Dinagat Islands
• northern and central parts of Davao Oriental (Cateel, Baganga, Caraga, Manay, Tarragona, Lupon, Banaybanay)
• Davao de Oro
• Davao del Norte
• northern part of Davao del Sur (Davao City)
• rest of Bukidnon
• northern part of Cotabato (Carmen, Banisilan, Alamada, President Roxas, Antipas, Arakan, Magpet, Matalam, Kabacan)
• Lanao del Sur
• northern part of Maguindanao del Norte (Buldon, Barira, Matanog)
• rest of Lanao del Norte
• rest of Misamis Occidental
• eastern and central parts of Zamboanga del Norte (Mutia, Piñan, Polanco, Dipolog City, Dapitan City, Sibutad, Rizal, La Libertad, Labason, Kalawit, Liloy, Salug, Bacungan, Sindangan, Jose Dalman, Manukan, President Manuel A. Roxas, Katipunan, Sergio Osmeña Sr., Siayan, Godod, Tampilisan, Gutalac)
• northern and central parts of Zamboanga del Sur (Bayog, Kumalarang, Lapuyan, San Miguel, Guipos, Dinas, San Pablo, Dumalinao, Pagadian City, Tigbao, Lakewood, Dumingag, Mahayag, Molave, Josefina, Tambulig, Aurora, Ramon Magsaysay, Sominot, Midsalip, Labangan, Tukuran)
• northern part of Zamboanga Sibugay (Kabasalan, Diplahan, Naga, Titay, Ipil, Buug)

The surge of the northeast monsoon or amihan also continues to bring strong to gale-force gusts to the following areas:

Thursday, February 5

• Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Aurora, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Bicol, Mimaropa, Visayas, most of Mindanao

Friday, February 6

• Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Abra, northern part of mainland Cagayan, eastern part of Isabela, most of Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Bicol, most of Mimaropa, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Dinagat Islands, Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga Peninsula, southern part of Soccsksargen, Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental

Saturday, February 7

• most of Luzon, Western Visayas, most of Negros Island Region, Cebu, Bohol, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Zamboanga del Norte

In addition, there is still a minimal to moderate risk of storm surges with peak heights of up to 2 meters in Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Palawan including Calamian, Cuyo, and Cagayancillo Islands, Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Cebu, Bohol, Southern Leyte, Leyte, Dinagat Islands, Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Norte, Davao Oriental, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, and Misamis Occidental within 48 hours.

Moderate to very rough sea conditions are also being experienced in various parts of the country.

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

• Seaboard of Surigao del Sur – waves up to 5.5 meters high
• Seaboards of Surigao del Norte, Siargao-Bucas Grande Islands, and Dinagat Islands – waves up to 5 meters high
• Eastern seaboards of Northern Samar and Eastern Samar; seaboards of northern Davao Oriental, Camiguin, Siquijor, Misamis Oriental, and Misamis Occidental; northern seaboard of Lanao del Norte; southern seaboard of Bohol – waves up to 4.5 meters high

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

• Northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes; eastern seaboards of Albay and Sorsogon; northern seaboard of Northern Samar; remaining seaboards of Eastern Samar and Davao Oriental – waves up to 4 meters high
• Northern seaboards of Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur; seaboard of southern Davao del Sur; eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands; southern seaboards of Negros Occidental, Antique, Iloilo, Bohol, and Guimaras; remaining seaboards of Bohol and Lanao del Norte – waves up to 3.5 meters high
• Seaboards of Isabela, Aurora, northern Quezon, and Agusan del Norte; seaboard of southern Davao del Sur; seaboard of northern Zamboanga del Norte – waves up to 3 meters high

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

• Seaboards of Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Leyte, and Southern Leyte; eastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan; remaining seaboards of Cebu, Bohol, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Zamboanga del Norte – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Seaboards of Palawan and Sarangani; seaboard of western Zamboanga City; southern seaboards of Occidental Mindoro and Oriental Mindoro; remaining seaboards of Quezon, Bicol, and Western Visayas – waves up to 2 meters high

Basyang is the Philippines’ second tropical cyclone for 2026, after Tropical Storm Ada (Nokaen) in January. PAGASA previously estimated there would be up to one tropical cyclone in February. – Rappler.com