Tropical Storm Ofel Update: Weakening Over Taiwan with Winds Dropping to 75 km/h

Tropical Storm Ofel (Usagi) Update – November 16, 2024

Tropical Storm Ofel (Usagi) is weakening as it moves slowly over the sea west of Taiwan. As of 4 AM today, its maximum sustained winds decreased to 75 kilometers per hour from 85 km/h. The gustiness also dropped to 90 km/h, down from 105 km/h.

The storm is located 240 kilometers northwest of Itbayat, Batanes and is moving north-northeast. Ofel reentered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) at 10 PM on November 15, just hours after it exited. It is no longer causing significant rain, and all tropical cyclone wind signals were lifted on Friday.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), Ofel is expected to cross the southern part of Taiwan today and emerge over the sea east of Taiwan by early Sunday, November 17. Due to unfavorable conditions and its interaction with Taiwan’s mountainous terrain, Ofel may weaken further and could be downgraded to a remnant low by Sunday or earlier.

At its peak, Ofel was a super typhoon with winds reaching 185 km/h. It was classified as a typhoon before making landfall in Baggao, Cagayan, at 1:30 PM on November 14. During its peak, it brought heavy rain to Northern Luzon, prompting the highest tropical cyclone wind signal, Signal No. 5.

Sea Conditions:
For the next 24 hours, sea conditions will remain moderate to rough in some areas:

• Rough Seas:

  • Seaboard of Batanes (waves up to 3 meters)
• Moderate Seas:
  • Seaboard of Babuyan Islands (waves up to 2.5 meters)
  • Northern seaboards of mainland Cagayan and Ilocos Norte (waves up to 2 meters)

Ofel is the Philippines’ 15th tropical cyclone in 2024 and the third in November, following Typhoons Marce (Yinxing) and Nika (Toraji), which affected Northern Luzon.

PAGASA is also monitoring Typhoon Pepito (Man-yi).