Tropical Depression Neneng slightly weakens but continues to enhance monsoon

FORECAST. PAGASA Weather Specialist Loriedin de la Cruz-Galicia explains the bureau's 5 pm forecast for Tropical Depression Neneng inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility, and the two tropical cyclones outside PAR, on August 19, 2026.

PAGASA

Significant rainfall persists in 18 areas in Luzon due to the southwest monsoon, which is still being enhanced by Tropical Depression Neneng

AT A GLANCE

• Tropical Depression Neneng has weakened a bit but continues to enhance the southwest monsoon.
• Two other tropical cyclones are still being monitored outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility. One is a tropical depression while the other is Tropical Storm Saudel.

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MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Depression Neneng slightly weakened on Wednesday afternoon, August 19, but it continues to enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in a briefing past 5 pm on Wednesday that Neneng’s maximum sustained winds decreased from 55 kilometers per hour to 45 km/h. Its gustiness also eased from 70 km/h to 55 km/h.

The tropical depression was already 375 kilometers northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, at 4 pm. It is moving west northwest toward Taiwan at a relatively fast 35 km/h.

Neneng is projected to pass close to or make landfall in Taiwan — which is inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) — by Thursday evening, August 20, or early Friday morning, August 21. Also by Friday morning, it could be downgraded to a remnant low over or near Taiwan.

While Neneng will stay far from Philippine landmass, it has been enhancing the southwest monsoon, which is still affecting Luzon and portions of Western Visayas. These areas may be most affected in the next 48 hours:

Wednesday afternoon, August 19, to Thursday afternoon, August 20

• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 millimeters): Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Metro Manila, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Abra, Benguet, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro

Thursday afternoon, August 20, to Friday afternoon, August 21

• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Batanes, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan

On Wednesday evening, other areas in Luzon not mentioned above, Antique, and Aklan may continue to have scattered rain and thunderstorms due to the southwest monsoon.

PAGASA added that the southwest monsoon is bringing strong to gale-force gusts to these areas:

Wednesday, August 19, and Thursday, August 20

• most of Luzon, most of Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region

Friday, August 21

• most of Luzon, Panay Island, Negros Occidental, Northern Samar, Davao Oriental

For coastal waters, moderate to rough conditions are likely to persist in the next 24 hours.

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

• Seaboards of Ilocos Norte and Batanes – waves up to 3.5 meters high
• Seaboards of Ilocos Sur, La Union, Zambales, and Lubang Islands; western seaboards of Babuyan Islands, Pangasinan, Bataan, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, and Calamian Island; northern seaboard of Kalayaan Islands – waves up to 3 meters high

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

• Seaboard of Isabela; western seaboards of Cavite and northern mainland Palawan; eastern seaboard of Davao Oriental; remaining seaboards of Occidental Mindoro and Kalayaan Islands – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Seaboards of mainland Cagayan, northern Aurora, Romblon, Cuyo Islands, Cagayancillo Islands, Antique, and Surigao del Sur; northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes; eastern seaboards of Dinagat Islands and Siargao-Bucas Grande Islands; southern seaboards of Oriental Mindoro and Iloilo; western seaboard of Palawan; remaining seaboards of Babuyan Islands – waves up to 2 meters high

Neneng is the Philippines’ 14th tropical cyclone for 2026, and the third tropical cyclone for August, after Tropical Depression Luis and Tropical Storm Maymay (Kujira).

Two other tropical cyclones are still being monitored, both located outside PAR.

The first one, which had developed over the West Philippine Sea on Tuesday, August 20, remains a tropical depression with maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h and gustiness of up to 55 km/h.

It was last spotted 905 kilometers west of extreme Northern Luzon at 3 pm on Wednesday, moving northwest or away from PAR at just 10 km/h. It is unlikely to enter PAR.

Meanwhile, the second one intensified from a tropical depression into a tropical storm at 2 pm on Wednesday. It was given the international name Saudel, a name contributed by Micronesia.

Saudel was located 3,005 kilometers east of northeastern Mindanao as of 3 pm, almost stationary or barely moving in that spot. It currently has maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h and gustiness of up to 90 km/h.

PAGASA Weather Specialist Loriedin de la Cruz-Galicia said Saudel might briefly enter the northeastern boundary of PAR on Monday, August 24, or Tuesday, August 25. It could also enhance the southwest monsoon. Note that these are only initial projections as the tropical storm remains far from PAR.

The weather bureau estimated that up to four tropical cyclones may develop within or enter PAR in August. – Rappler.com