Climate & Environment
Typhoon Samuel (Cempaka) Approaches Philippine Waters
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) announced that Typhoon Samuel, internationally named Cempaka, is expected to enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) early today. A 4 p.m. weather satellite image from yesterday placed the cyclone 1,600 kilometers east of extreme Northern Luzon, with sustained winds of 120 km/h and gusts up to 150 km/h, moving west‑northwestward at 20 km/h. Samuel is not expected to affect the country’s weather or make landfall; it is projected to recur and exit PAR by tomorrow morning. Metro Manila and the rest of the Philippines will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers or thunderstorms from easterly winds. Three locations—Catarman, Northern Samar; Borongan, Eastern Samar; and Zamboanga City—will record a danger‑level heat index of 42 °C.