Rolly no longer affecting Philippines, set to exit PAR on Tuesday morning

Tropical Storm Rolly is no longer affecting the Philippines ahead of its expected exit from the country’s area of responsibility on Tuesday morning, PAGASA said late Monday night.

In its 11 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said Rolly will likely remain a tropical storm throughout the forecast period.

“However, there remains the possibility that Rolly will weaken into a tropical depression over the West Philippine Sea due to unfavorable conditions,” it added.

The center of Rolly was last located 365 kilometers West of Iba, Zambales carrying maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph.

The cyclone continues to move westward at 20 kph.

By Tuesday evening, it will be 620 kilometers west of Iba, Zambales.

Tropical Storms Rolly and Siony are seen to bring strong to near gale conditions with higher gusts over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and the northern portions of Cagayan and Ilocos Norte.

The two cyclones will also bring rough to very rough seas over the entire seaboards of Northern Luzon and the western seaboard of Central Luzon, while moderate to rough seas should be expected over the remaining seaboards of Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Visayas and Mindanao.

Rolly has claimed at least 20 lives in the Bicol region alone after it lashed Albay and Catanduanes. —LDF, GMA News