Super Typhoon Rosal maintains strength; Signal No. 2 up in Batanes

Super Typhoon Rosal maintained its strength on Wednesday morning as it moves west norhwestward over the sea east of northern Luzon.

According to PAGASA's 11 a.m. advisory, these areas have been placed under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals:

Signal No. 2

• Batanes

Signal No. 1

• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, the eastern portion of Isabela (Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan, Santa Maria, Cabagan, Delfin Albano, Santo Tomas, Tumauini, San Pablo, Ilagan City, San Mariano, Dinapigue)
• Ilocos Norte
• Apayao
• The northeastern portion of Catanduanes (Pandan, Bagamanoc, Panganiban, Viga, Gigmoto)

Super Typhoon ROSAL was last spotted 845 km East of Northern Luzon (18.2°N, 129.7°E) carrying maximum sustained winds of 215 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 265 km/h, and central pressure of 900 hPa.

"ROSAL will continue moving west northwestward today, then northwestward tomorrow (22 October). It will begin to turn north northwestward by Friday (23 October) before recurving northeastward by Sunday (25 October). On the forecast track, the tropical cyclone will be closest to Extreme Northern Luzon between tomorrow and Friday afternoon," PAGASA said.

PAGASA said that the highest Wind Signal that may be raised during the passage of Rosal is Wind Signal No. 2 or 3.

The Northeasterly Windflow and the periphery of ROSAL will also bring strong to gale-force gusts over the following areas:

• Today (21 October): Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Bicol Region, Romblon, Eastern Visayas, Siquijor, Bohol, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, Davao Region, Aurora and Sarangani.

• Tomorrow (22 October): Most of Luzon and Visayas, Zamboanga del Norte, Northern Mindanao, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Sarangani, Davao Occidental, and Davao Oriental.

• Friday (23 October): Most of Luzon and Visayas, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Davao Occidental, and Davao Oriental.

A Gale Warning is also in effect over the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon and the eastern seaboard of Visayas.

Rosal is forecast to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Friday evening or Saturday (24 October) early morning. —VAL, GMA News