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Severe Tropical Storm Francisco at 110 km/h Winds, Forecast to Stay Over Philippine Sea
Francisco entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Saturday evening and is forecast to become a typhoon by Sunday. The storm remains over the Philippine Sea while its trough brings scattered rain to several eastern regions.
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Severe Tropical Storm Francisco reached maximum sustained winds of 110 km/h on Sunday morning, June 21, 2026, according to Rappler. The system had entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility at 10 pm the previous evening and had already strengthened from a tropical storm into a severe tropical storm at 8 pm on Saturday.
At 11 pm on Saturday, PAGASA placed Francisco 1,295 kilometers east of southeastern Luzon.
The storm carried maximum sustained winds of 95 km/h, gusts up to 115 km/h, and was moving west at 25 km/h. PAGASA stated that Francisco is expected to strengthen into a typhoon by Sunday and reach peak intensity by Monday, June 22. The agency said the storm is likely to remain over the Philippine Sea.
The storm’s trough is producing scattered rain and thunderstorms in Eastern Visayas, Caraga, and the Davao Region. PAGASA has not ruled out raising Signal No. 1 in northern and eastern parts of Northern Luzon.
On Sunday, the southwest monsoon is forecast to bring strong to gale-force gusts to Siquijor, Camiguin, and southern parts of Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, and Sarangani. On Monday, the same conditions are expected across Romblon, most of Visayas, Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Camiguin, Surigao del Norte, and Dinagat Islands.
In the next 24 hours, moderate seas with waves up to 2 meters are forecast along the eastern seaboards of Dinagat Islands, Siargao-Bucas Grande Islands, Surigao del Sur, and Davao Oriental.
Small vessels have been advised to take precautionary measures or avoid sailing if possible. Francisco is the Philippines’ sixth tropical cyclone of 2026 and the second in June. PAGASA announced the onset of the southwest monsoon on May 30 and the start of the rainy season on June 4.
