Rosal maintains strength while traversing Philippine Sea

State weather bureau PAGASA said late Saturday night that Tropical Depression Rosal maintained its strength while moving over the Philippine Sea and was expected to intensify in the next 24 hours. 

Rosal was moving northward at 10 kilometers per hour, with maximum sustained winds of 45 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 55 km/h, PAGASA said in its 11 p.m. bulletin. 

As of 10 p.m., the center of the tropical depression was located 355 km east northeast of Infanta, Quezon or 290 km east of Casiguran, Aurora.

PAGASA did not raise tropical cyclone wind signals, but moderate to heavy with at times intense rains may prevail over the Bicol Region, Mimaropa, and Quezon from Saturday night until Sunday afternoon. 

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains are likely over Aurora, the rest of Calabarzon, and the northern portion of Western Visayas, it added.

The weather bureau said light to moderate with at times heavy rains would be experienced over the Bicol Region on Sunday afternoon until evening.

It said that flooding and rain-induced landslides are possible, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards as identified in hazard maps and in localities with significant antecedent rainfall under these conditions.

Meanwhile, the surge of the Northeast Monsoon, partly enhanced by Rosal, may bring occasional gusts reaching gale-force over Batanes and the Babuyan Islands. 

It may also bring strong breeze to near-gale strength over the Ilocos Norte, the northern and eastern portions of Cagayan, the eastern portion of Isabela, Calaguas Islands, and the extreme northern portion of Catanduanes.

A marine gale warning is in effect over the seaboards of Northern Luzon under the influence of the surge of the Northeast Monsoon.

PAGASA advised mariners to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea and, if possible, avoid navigating in these conditions.

“Rosal is forecast to intensify while moving over the Philippine Sea and may reach tropical storm in the next 24 hours,” it said.

“However, due to the interaction with the Northeast Monsoon, the tropical cyclone may weaken into tropical depression on Monday and become a remnant low on Tuesday.” — VBL, GMA Integrated News