MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Obet has officially left the Philippine Area of Responsibility, but its departure does not mean the country is done with dangerous weather.
PAGASA confirmed that Obet, internationally known as Saudel, exited PAR at around 9:30 p.m. on Monday, August 24, after briefly passing through the country’s monitoring zone. At the time, the powerful cyclone remained far east-northeast of Extreme Northern Luzon and was still packing typhoon-force winds.
But the bigger concern for millions of Filipinos is what remains behind: an active southwest monsoon, or Habagat, capable of producing more rain, strong winds and rough seas across large parts of the country.
Obet Is Gone From PAR, But Habagat Remains a Threat
In its 11 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Obet had already moved outside PAR and was forecast to continue west-northwestward toward the southern islands of Japan before eventually heading toward southeastern China.
The agency said the typhoon was expected to gradually weaken along its projected path.
Despite remaining far from the Philippine landmass, Obet has been helping enhance the southwest monsoon, which continues to affect Luzon and other parts of the Philippines.
For Tuesday, PAGASA warned that strong to gale-force gusts associated with the Habagat could affect most of Luzon and the Visayas, as well as portions of Mindanao including Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Dinagat Islands, Davao Occidental and Davao Oriental.
That distinction matters: even when a tropical cyclone is outside PAR or hundreds of kilometers away from land, it can still influence the monsoon circulation and contribute to hazardous weather.
Two Tropical Cyclones Remained Under Watch Monday Night
Shortly after Obet exited PAR, PAGASA was also monitoring Tropical Storm Atsani and Tropical Depression Gaenari, formerly known locally as Neneng, outside the Philippine monitoring zone.
GMA News reported that Atsani was about 1,770 kilometers east of Northern Luzon, with maximum sustained winds of around 65 kilometers per hour and gusts reaching 80 kph.
Gaenari, meanwhile, was approximately 665 kilometers northwest of Itbayat, Batanes, carrying maximum sustained winds of 45 kph and gusts of up to 75 kph.
However, the weather picture had already changed by early Tuesday — an important reminder of how quickly tropical systems can strengthen, weaken or disappear from monitoring lists.
PAGASA’s early Tuesday information listed Saudel and Atsani among the tropical cyclones outside PAR, while Gaenari was no longer included in that particular active-cyclone listing.
Atsani Is Still Being Watched
As of around 3 a.m. Tuesday, Atsani had weakened to a tropical depression and was estimated about 1,760 kilometers east of Northern Luzon.
It carried maximum sustained winds of around 55 kph, with gusts of up to 70 kph, according to PAGASA information cited by Philstar.
Saudel, formerly Obet, was meanwhile estimated about 1,180 kilometers east-northeast of Extreme Northern Luzon, with maximum sustained winds of roughly 150 kph and gusts reaching 185 kph as it continued moving away.
The changing classifications show why the public should rely on the latest official PAGASA bulletin rather than older social-media posts or screenshots.
Rough Seas Are Another Major Concern
PAGASA also warned of potentially dangerous sea conditions.
Waves could reach up to 3.5 meters along the seaboards of Batanes and the northern coast of the Babuyan Islands, while seas of up to three meters were forecast in several other northern and western coastal areas.
The weather bureau advised operators of motorbancas and similarly sized vessels to take precautions and, where possible, avoid sailing under rough conditions.
Obet Never Made Landfall in the Philippines
Unlike several recent tropical cyclones that affected the country, Obet remained far from the Philippine landmass during its brief stay inside PAR.
Earlier forecasts had even raised the possibility that Saudel could become a super typhoon, although that scenario became less likely as the system approached PAR. ABS-CBN reported Monday that PAGASA no longer expected the cyclone to reach super typhoon intensity.
The cyclone entered PAR at approximately 1:20 p.m. Monday and received the local name Obet before leaving only several hours later.
The Bigger Story Is the Habagat
For the Philippines, Obet’s exit may therefore be less important than what happens to the southwest monsoon in the coming days.
PAGASA’s Tuesday forecast said Metro Manila, Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Cavite, Batangas and Rizal could experience cloudy skies with scattered rains and thunderstorms due to the Habagat.
Other parts of Luzon could also see isolated rain showers or thunderstorms, while localized thunderstorms remain possible elsewhere in the country.
This comes after weeks of repeated heavy rainfall linked to the southwest monsoon and previous tropical cyclones, leaving some communities particularly vulnerable to additional flooding and landslides.
The safest takeaway is simple: Obet has exited PAR, but the weather emergency has not necessarily exited with it.
Residents in flood- and landslide-prone areas should continue monitoring official PAGASA advisories and warnings from local disaster-response authorities, particularly as the Habagat remains active and additional tropical systems continue moving across the western Pacific.
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