Category 3 Cyclone Emerges in the Philippines, Several Indonesian Regions May Be Affected

A Category 3 tropical cyclone has emerged in the Philippines, a neighbouring country of Indonesia. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) estimates the cyclone will impact several regions across the archipelago. “Tropical Cyclone Mekkhala developed from tropical cyclone seedling 92W, which entered the TCWC Jakarta monitoring area on 19 June 2026 at 19.00 WIB and reached tropical cyclone intensity on 20 June 2026 at 01.00 WIB,” the BMKG stated in an official release on Monday (22/6/2026). The cyclone is located in the Philippine Sea and is forecast to move west-northwest at a speed of 25 km per hour. The Category 3 storm, with wind speeds of 155 km per hour, is expected to move away from Indonesia. BMKG predicts the cyclone will strengthen to Category 4 within the next 24 hours, with wind speeds potentially reaching 175 km per hour. “Tropical Cyclone Mekkhala will have an indirect impact on Indonesian waters in the next 24 hours until 23 June 2026 at 07.00 WIB,” the BMKG wrote. The following impacts are forecast for Indonesia: Moderate waves (1.25-2.5 metres) in the waters of: the Sangihe Islands, the Talaud Islands, the Maluku Sea, the northern Pacific Ocean off Maluku, and the northern Pacific Ocean off Southwest Papua. For context, tropical cyclones are divided into five categories, with Category 1 being the lowest and Category 5 the highest.