Signal No. 1 lifted as Tropical Depression Henry moves away from land

MANILA, Philippines – The weather bureau lifted Signal No. 1 for Tropical Depression Henry late Wednesday morning, July 1, as the tropical cyclone continued to move away from Philippine landmass.

As of 10 am on Wednesday, Henry was located 240 kilometers west southwest of Abucay, Bataan, moving west at 25 kilometers per hour (km/h).

The tropical depression maintained its strength, with maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h and gustiness of up to 55 km/h.

It had developed only hours earlier, at 2 am, after crossing land as a low pressure area.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) earlier placed several areas in Zambales and in Bataan, as well as Lubang Islands — part of Occidental Mindoro — under Signal No. 1 due to strong winds from Henry.

Though Signal No. 1 has been lifted, the periphery or outer bands of the tropical depression and the southwest monsoon or habagat are still bringing strong to gale-force gusts to these areas:

Wednesday, July 1

• Batanes, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa

Thursday, July 2

• Batanes, Cagayan, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Palawan

Friday, July 3

• Batanes, Cagayan, Pangasinan, Zambales, Palawan

PAGASA also said in an 11 am advisory on Wednesday that both Henry and the southwest monsoon “are now less likely to bring significant rainfall” to the western portion of Southern Luzon.

But scattered rain and thunderstorms remain possible in Mimaropa, Zambales, Bataan, Cagayan, Isabela, Batangas, Western Visayas, the Negros Island Region, the Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi within 24 hours.

In addition, up to moderate seas persist in the following seaboards on Wednesday:

• Seaboards of Babuyan Islands and Zambales; northern seaboards of Cagayan and Ilocos Norte; western seaboards of Pangasinan, Bataan, and Kalayaan Islands – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Seaboards of Batanes, Isabela, northern Aurora, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Lubang Islands; western seaboards of Bataan, Batangas, and Palawan; remaining seaboards of Ilocos Norte and Kalayaan Islands – waves up to 2 meters high

Small vessels should take precautionary measures, or avoid sailing, if possible.

Henry, the Philippines’ eighth tropical cyclone for 2026 and the first for July, could leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning, July 2.

Outside PAR, Henry might intensify into a tropical storm by Thursday evening.

PAGASA’s latest estimates show nine to 13 tropical cyclones could form within or enter PAR from July to December 2026. Here is the breakdown per month:

• July – 2 to 4
• August – 2 to 4
• September – 2 or 3
• October – 1 or 2
• November – 1 or 2
• December – 1 or 2

Formation inside or entry into PAR does not necessarily mean automatic impact on Philippine weather and sea conditions, as that would depend on multiple factors, including the location, track, and intensity of a tropical cyclone. – Rappler.com