Bagyo
Bagyo is the Filipino word for a tropical cyclone, any strength from tropical depression to super typhoon. PAGASA warns about one with wind signals 1 to 5 over each province: the higher the number, the stronger the wind and the less time before it arrives.
Is there a bagyo now? This page has no live data. Check the PAGASA Tropical Cyclone Bulletin, or see where to check typhoon updates for every official live page.
Written for the Philippines. In an emergency here, the number is 911.
Ano ang bagyo? PAGASA's answer
“Ang Bagyo ay isang malawakang weather system na mula 150 km ang radius o at least 300 km
ang lawak nito nagdadala ng mga malakas na hangin at mabigat na buhos ng ulan.”
In English: a bagyo is a large weather system, at least 150 km in radius or 300 km across, that brings strong winds and heavy rain. PAGASA says it is spotted by the rotation of its clouds, and classed by the strongest sustained wind near its eye.
PAGASA uses five classes: tropical depression, tropical storm, severe tropical storm, typhoon and super typhoon. In this part of the Pacific the strong ones are called typhoons, but every class is a bagyo. The wind for each class, and why about 20 a year enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility, is on the page on typhoons in the Philippines.
Source: PAGASA, FAQs and Trivias (in Filipino). Read 8 October 2026. Used here for the definition of bagyo and the yearly count only. Its wind signal ranges are the old, pre-2022 ones.
Source: PAGASA, About Tropical Cyclones. Read 8 October 2026.
The signal numbers
A Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal is raised over a province, or over all of Metro Manila at once, when winds of at least 39 km/h are expected within 36 hours.
The five wind signals, drawn to the wind each one starts at
Each bar is as tall as the lowest wind speed of its signal. The lead time under it is how long PAGASA expects before that wind arrives.
- 1
- 39 to 61 km/h, within 36 hours.
- 2
- 62 to 88 km/h, within 24 hours.
- 3
- 89 to 117 km/h, within 18 hours.
- 4
- 118 to 184 km/h, within 12 hours.
- 5
- 185 km/h or higher, within 12 hours.
Source: PAGASA, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (system in use since 23 March 2022). Read 8 October 2026.
Two warnings from PAGASA itself. The signal is the general wind over the province: on high ground and by the sea it can be substantially stronger. And signals can skip a level, so Signal 1 can become Signal 3 without passing through 2.
Source: PAGASA, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (system in use since 23 March 2022). Read 8 October 2026.
What each signal can do
This is what PAGASA says to expect under each signal, cut to what affects a household. PAGASA lists the damage; it does not publish a separate to-do list for each number. Read the lead time as the most time you may have left to finish preparing.
-
Signal 1
39 to 61 km/h
Arrives within 36 hours
Strong winds. Minimal to minor threat to life and property.
- Houses of poor construction (wood frame, bamboo, makeshift), old dilapidated structures and other structures of light materials will suffer minimal to minor damage.
- Minimal disruption to public transport.
-
Signal 2
62 to 88 km/h
Arrives within 24 hours
Gale-force winds. Minor to moderate threat to life and property.
- Houses of poor and average construction may receive minor roof damage.
- Unsecured lightweight things left outside can become projectiles.
- Some electrical wires may come down, with local power outages.
- Minor to moderate disruption to public transport.
-
Signal 3
89 to 117 km/h
Arrives within 18 hours
Storm-force winds. Moderate to significant threat to life and property.
- Houses of poor or average construction have considerable roof damage, blown-out windows or partial wall damage.
- Outdoor things of light to moderate weight can become projectiles and cause injuries.
- Power outages over many areas, with downed lines and posts; some disruption to telecoms and water supply.
- Moderate to significant disruption to public transport.
-
Signal 4
118 to 184 km/h
Arrives within 12 hours
Typhoon-force winds. Significant to severe threat to life and property.
- Houses of poor or average construction may lose the whole roof, and walls may collapse.
- Most well-built houses may have roof damage, and blown-out windows are likely.
- Airborne debris can cause damage, injury and possible deaths.
- Near total loss of power and telecoms; less drinking water available.
-
Signal 5
185 km/h or higher
Arrives within 12 hours
Typhoon-force winds. Extreme threat to life and property.
- Severe to catastrophic damage to houses of poor or average construction; well-built houses may suffer roof and wall failure.
- People, pets and livestock exposed to the wind are at great risk of injury or death.
- Electricity, drinking water and telecoms unavailable for prolonged periods.
Source: PAGASA, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (system in use since 23 March 2022). Read 8 October 2026.
Source: PAGASA, Tropical Cyclone Bulletin Nr. 7, Tropical Storm Maymay, 5 August 2026 (signals 1 and 2 wording). Read 8 October 2026. Signals 3 to 5 wording from PAGASA Bulletin Nr. 28, Super Typhoon Goring, 30 August 2023, of which only an archived copy survives.
Before and during: the checklist
The household checklist, from packing the go bag weeks ahead to switching off the main breaker when the wind arrives, is on the typhoon guide: what to do before, during and after. It is kept in one place so the two pages say the same thing. The same advice in Filipino is on the paghahanda sa bagyo poster.
What changes with the signal number is how long you may have. Under Signal 1 the wind is expected within 36 hours; under Signals 4 and 5, within 12. It can come sooner, and a province can go straight to a higher signal.
Source: PAGASA, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (system in use since 23 March 2022). Read 8 October 2026.
The flood and the days after: what the DOH says
The DOH warns that typhoons and heavy rains can cause flooding, which can spread water-borne diseases. These are the Department of Health's reminders for typhoons and the rainy season.
- Do not wade or swim in floodwater. The DOH names leptospirosis, typhoid fever, cholera and hepatitis A as diseases floodwater can carry. If you did wade, the DOH says not to wait for symptoms: see a doctor or health centre within 24 to 48 hours of first wading, for preventive antibiotics, which need a prescription.
- Stay away from hanging wires and unstable structures.
- Drink only water from a safe source. When in doubt, the DOH says to bring it to a rolling boil and keep it boiling for 2 minutes or longer, or to chlorinate it.
- Cook food well, cover leftovers, and keep them away from pests.
- Throw away waste properly, and wash your hands before and after eating and after using the toilet.
- Keep dry and warm.
- Empty containers that hold standing water. More stagnant water means more mosquitoes and more dengue, in the words of the Health Secretary.
- If anyone at home shows signs of infection, go to a doctor or the nearest health facility at once.
The symptoms to watch for after wading are on the page on leptospirosis after a flood.
Source: DOH, Water-borne Diseases Advisory, 29 July 2017. Read 8 October 2026.
Source: DOH, On guard for leptospirosis as rainy season continues, press release of 7 August 2024. Read 8 October 2026.
Get ready before it is named
Signal 1 means strong winds within at most 36 hours, and that goes quickly if nothing is packed. Start with the checklist.
Read the typhoon guide The go bag checklist Where to check live updates