The 6th tropical cyclone in a month is about to make landfall in the Philippines

Written by Meteorologist Mary Wasson

Last updated 11/16/2024, 9:57:28 AM

The 2024 Western Pacific Typhoon Season has been extremely active, featuring the 6th tropical cyclone to strike the Philippines in just one month! 

So far, there have been a total of 25 storms, including 12 typhoons and 6 super typhoons. Sadly, this season has resulted in the loss of over 1,200 lives and has caused more than $25 billion in damages.

The most recent storm to hit the Philippines was Typhoon Usagi, which struck on Thursday, knocking out power and displacing more than 80,000 before moving west on Friday. Typhoon Usagi had sustained winds of up to 109 miles per hour, with gusts reaching 149 mph when it hit the coastal town of Baggao in Cagayan province, located at the northern tip of Luzon, the country’s most populous agricultural region.

Now, Super Typhoon Man-yi, known locally as Pepito, is expected to make landfall on Sunday morning. Man-yi has become the sixth consecutive tropical system to cross the country within a month, following Tropical Storm Trami and Typhoons Kong-rey, Yinxing, Toraji, and Usagi. This is the first time since records began in 1951 that four named storms have existed simultaneously in November. Man-yi is the 24th named storm of the season, the 3rd violent typhoon this year, and the 2nd Category 5 storm of the annual typhoon season.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Service Administration (PAGASA) is warning of life-threatening tidal surges of more than 10 feet in coastal areas. Forecasters said that some areas were expected to receive more than seven inches of rain by noon on Sunday, warning that severe flooding and landslides were expected to be widespread.

According to AlJazeera, Civil defense administrator Ariel Nepomuceno said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr directed all government agencies “to prepare for the worst-case scenario” in areas where Man-yi is expected to hit. 

Unfortunately, the Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world.  They experience approximately 20 typhoons and tropical storms annually and it is frequently struck by earthquakes and has over a dozen active volcanoes.