Tropical Depression Salome continues to weaken over Balintang Channel

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression Salome weakened further while moving over the Balintang Channel, between Batanes and Cagayan’s Babuyan Islands, on Thursday morning, October 23.

Salome’s maximum sustained winds are down to 45 kilometers per hour from the previous 55 km/h, while its gustiness is now at 55 km/h from 75 km/h.

At its peak, Salome was briefly a tropical storm in the early hours of Thursday, with maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) expects Salome to eventually weaken into a remnant low while still inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility.

As of 10 am on Thursday, the tropical depression was located 115 kilometers northwest of Calayan, Cagayan, moving southwest at 20 km/h.

After passing close to Batanes and Babuyan Islands, it is projected to pass close to Ilocos Norte on Thursday afternoon.

Salome’s movement continues to be influenced by a high pressure area over mainland China, forcing it downward.

PAGASA no longer sees Salome bringing heavy to intense rain (100-200 millimeters) to Batanes, but moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm) may still hit the province on Thursday.

Signal No. 1 remains raised in the following areas as of 11 am, which means they have strong winds due to the tropical depression:

• Batanes
• northern and western parts of Babuyan Islands (Calayan Island, Dalupiri Island, Babuyan Island)
• northwestern part of Ilocos Norte (Bangui, Pagudpud, Burgos, Pasuquin, Bacarra, Laoag City)

Signal No. 2 was the highest tropical cyclone wind signal raised because of Salome.

The northeasterly windflow will also bring strong to gale-force gusts to areas not under a wind signal in the following provinces:

Thursday, October 23

• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur

Friday, October 24

• Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte

Saturday, October 25

• Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte

Although Salome is weakening, conditions in certain seaboards remain dangerous on Thursday.

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

• Seaboard of Batanes – waves up to 6 meters high
• Northwestern seaboards of Babuyan Islands – waves up to 5 meters high

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

• Seaboard of Ilocos Norte; remaining seaboards of Babuyan Islands – waves up to 4 meters high
• Seaboard of Ilocos Sur – waves up to 3.5 meters high
• Western seaboard of Pangasinan; remaining seaboard of mainland Cagayan; seaboards of Isabela and Kalayaan 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 La Union and Zambales; remaining seaboards of Pangasinan; northern and eastern seaboards of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar – waves up to 2.5 meters high

Salome is the Philippines’ 19th tropical cyclone for 2025, and the fourth for October, after Typhoon Paolo (Matmo), Tropical Storm Quedan (Nakri), and Tropical Storm Ramil (Fengshen). PAGASA previously said there may be two to four tropical cyclones during the month.

On Thursday, Mindanao, the Negros Island Region, and Palawan will also have scattered rain and thunderstorms due to the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ).

The ITCZ is a belt near the equator where the trade winds of the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere meet. It is considered a breeding ground for tropical cyclones.

In addition, the easterlies or warm winds from the Pacific Ocean will still cause isolated rain showers or thunderstorms in Bicol, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, and Eastern Visayas.

The rest of the country will continue to have generally fair weather, with just localized thunderstorms.

The Philippines is transitioning to the northeast monsoon or amihan season after the recent termination of the southwest monsoon or habagat season.

La Niña is also underway in the tropical Pacific Ocean, which means the country may have above-normal rainfall in the coming months. – Rappler.com

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