Champi weakens outside PAR but likely to re-intensify into super typhoon

CHAMPI. Satellite image of Typhoon Champi outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility as of October 19, 2026, 10:40 am.

PAGASA

PAGASA expects Champi to be upgraded back to a super typhoon before it enters the Philippine Area of Responsibility

AT A GLANCE

• Champi has weakened into a typhoon but is expected to re-intensify into a super typhoon as it approaches the Philippine Area of Responsibility.
• Champi is projected to enter PAR on Tuesday, October 20, where it will be named Rosal.

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MANILA, Philippines – The tropical cyclone with the international name Champi weakened into a typhoon on Sunday evening, October 18, but it is expected to re-intensify into a super typhoon on Monday, October 19.

The typhoon was last spotted 1,600 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon at 10 am on Monday, still outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).

It is moving west northwest at 20 kilometers per hour (km/h), and remains on track to enter PAR on Tuesday, October 20. Upon entry, it will be given the local name Rosal.

As of Monday morning, Champi has maximum sustained winds of 175 km/h and gustiness of up to 215 km/h. Once its maximum sustained winds reach 185 km/h again, it will be upgraded back to a super typhoon.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) expects the future Rosal to stay over the Philippine Sea as it heads for Taiwan, which is within PAR.

Over the Philippine Sea, it might also strengthen further and possibly reach a peak intensity of 205 km/h, before gradually weakening starting Wednesday, October 21.

While Champi might spare the Philippines from landfall, it is still likely to bring heavy rain to extreme Northern Luzon, or the Batanes-Babuyan Islands area.

Champi may also prompt the raising of tropical cyclone wind signals for the northern and eastern portions of Northern Luzon and even parts of Bicol as early as Monday evening or Tuesday morning. Wind signals could eventually reach Signal No. 3 or 4.

PAGASA added that most parts of Luzon and the Visayas, as well as portions of Mindanao, are likely to experience gusty conditions beginning Wednesday.

As for coastal conditions, moderate to rough waters are expected in the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon and the eastern seaboards of the Visayas and Mindanao on Tuesday.

Starting Wednesday, very rough, high, or very high waters may affect the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon.

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On Monday, the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and the easterlies continue to affect parts of the country.

The ITCZ is a belt near the equator where the trade winds of the Northern Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere meet, while the easterlies are warm winds from the Pacific Ocean.

The Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan, Tawi-Tawi, and Palawan are seeing scattered rain and thunderstorms due to the ITCZ, while Bicol, Quezon, Marinduque, Romblon, and Oriental Mindoro have similar weather conditions because of the easterlies.

The easterlies may also trigger isolated rain showers or thunderstorms in the rest of Luzon and the rest of the Visayas.

The Philippines is currently in a transition period to the northeast monsoon or amihan, following the end of the southwest monsoon or habagat, which was announced last October 5.

The northeast monsoon typically brings surges of cold temperatures, but the upcoming amihan period could be warmer as the existing strong El Niño in the tropical Pacific Ocean is predicted to become very strong in the fourth quarter of 2026. – Rappler.com