PAGASA Typhoon Signal Numbers 1–5

PAGASA Typhoon Cyclone Warning Signal Number 1 (TCWS #1) means that a tropical cyclone is within the Philippine Area of Responsibility and may bring winds of 30 to 60 kilometers per hour, with gusts reaching up to 75 kph, within the next 36 hours. At Signal 1, classes and work are generally not suspended unless local authorities decide otherwise. Residents should begin monitoring updates, prepare their go-bags, secure loose outdoor objects, and identify their nearest evacuation center. Signal 1 does not mean the typhoon has arrived — it is an early warning to start preparing.

You should evacuate as soon as your barangay captain or LGU issues an evacuation order — do not wait for floodwaters to arrive. Mandatory evacuation is most commonly ordered under Signal 2, 3, 4, or 5, particularly for residents in low-lying areas, near rivers, in coastal communities at risk of storm surge, or in informal settlements on unstable ground. Even at Signal 1, pre-emptive evacuation may be ordered in high-risk zones. The golden rule: leave early. Roads become dangerous and impassable quickly once typhoon conditions set in. Contact your barangay hall or dial 911 if you need evacuation assistance.

PAGASA Typhoon Signal 3 means sustained winds of 121 to 170 kph with gusts up to 220 kph are expected within 18 hours. Signal 4 escalates to sustained winds of 171 to 220 kph with gusts exceeding 220 kph, also expected within 12 hours. The key difference is wind intensity and time to landfall: Signal 3 causes very destructive damage — widespread tree falls, structural damage to light and medium buildings — while Signal 4 causes devastatingly destructive damage that can destroy even well-built concrete structures. Both signals almost always trigger mandatory evacuation orders. At Signal 4, storm surge risk is extreme in coastal areas.

A super typhoon is a tropical cyclone with maximum sustained winds exceeding 220 kilometers per hour — the highest category in PAGASA's Tropical Cyclone Warning System, designated as Signal 5. PAGASA added Signal 5 to the warning system in 2019 following lessons from Super Typhoon Yolanda (Hainan) in 2013, which caused catastrophic destruction with gusts exceeding 315 kph. At the international level, a super typhoon is classified when maximum sustained 1-minute winds exceed 130 knots (~240 kph). Super typhoons cause catastrophic damage: total destruction of buildings, extreme storm surge, life-threatening flooding, and complete disruption of transportation and utilities.

PAGASA issues typhoon advisories every 6 hours when a tropical cyclone is active inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). When a cyclone is within 24 hours of landfall or has already made landfall, updates are issued every 3 hours. Special weather statements can be released at any time when conditions change rapidly. Advisories are broadcast on AM radio (including DZRB 738 kHz), posted on bagong.pagasa.dost.gov.ph, and distributed through official government social media channels. PAGASA's hotline for weather inquiries is 1555, which is free to call from all major networks.

Storm surge is an abnormal rise of seawater above the normal tidal level caused by the low pressure and strong winds of a tropical cyclone pushing ocean water toward the coast. It is one of the most deadly typhoon hazards — the storm surge from Typhoon Yolanda (Hainan) in 2013 reached up to 6 meters in Tacloban City, Leyte, killing thousands. Storm surge warnings can technically be issued alongside any signal level, but significant storm surge risk becomes most critical under Signal 2 and higher, particularly for shallow coastal bays and low-lying coastlines. PAGASA issues separate Storm Surge Advisories with color-coded alert levels (Yellow, Orange, Red). Do not wait for your area to be inundated — if a storm surge warning is issued for your coastal community, evacuate immediately.

For real-time typhoon updates in the Philippines: (1) PAGASA website — bagong.pagasa.dost.gov.ph — official source for bulletins, wind signals, rainfall forecasts, and storm surge advisories. (2) PAGASA hotline: 1555 (free, all networks). (3) NDRRMC — ndrrmc.gov.ph — coordinates national disaster response and issues official casualty and damage reports. (4) ProjectLIGTAS typhoon tracker — live satellite imagery, current typhoon track, storm signal areas, and integrated flood risk map. (5) AM radio: DZRB 738 kHz broadcasts PAGASA bulletins 24/7. (6) Local government: follow your LGU and barangay Facebook pages for area-specific evacuation orders and road conditions.