Pagasa: Cyclones in 2025 won’t be as strong as last year’s

Students and their parents walk home while it rains. The state weather bureau reported on Saturday, July 5, 2025, that the 10 to 18 cyclones expected to sweep through the country this year will not be as strong as last year. File photo by Agence France-Presse

MANILA, Philippines — The cyclones that the country will experience this year will not be as strong as the cyclones that entered or developed inside the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) last year.

Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Secretary Renato Solidum and Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) Deputy Administrator Mar Villafuerte said this during a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday.

According to Solidum, the cyclones last year were stronger due to the effect of the La Niña in the country.

“The cyclones this year] are not more severe than last year, because it was La Niña last year,” Solidum said.

“On the average, no, because it’s La Niña. But don’t say that no intensified cyclone will enter. But our comparison is on the average,” he also said.

READ: Aside from Bising, 10 to 18 more cyclones expected in 2025

Villafuerte seconded the DOST chief and explained that during La Niña, “our surrounding waters near the Philippines have warmer sea surface temperatures. And it’s humid, of course, with tropical cyclones.”

Despite this, the Pagasa deputy administrator called on the public to remain cautious, as the expected cyclones would still bring heavy rains and strong winds.

“As compared to last year, it’s not as bad. Last year, from October to November, it was just a month, there were six consecutive typhoons. Actually, typhoons and super typhoons are their categories. But for this year, we’re not expecting like that,” Villafuerte said.

“But we’re not worrying about it, because maybe our countrymen will become complacent later, saying, ‘it will not be as bad as last time.’ So, they’ll become complacent,” he added.

In the same forum, Villafuerte noted that 10 to 18 more cyclones are expected in the country this year — besides Tropical Cyclone Bising that the weather bureau is currently monitoring.

READ: PH may experience 2 to 3 tropical cyclones in July – Pagasa

He added that one to two more tropical cyclones are forecast to enter or develop within PAR this July. /das