Rosal maintains strength, exits PAR by Saturday — PAGASA

Typhoon Rosal maintains its strength while moving in the northwest direction over the sea east northeast of Batanes and may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by early Saturday morning, according to the Tropical Cyclone Bulletin posted by PAGASA.

The center of the eye of Typhoon Rosal was estimated at 275 kilometers east northeast of Itbayat, Batanes packing maximum sustained winds of 155 kilometers per hour near the center, gustiness of up to 190 km/h, and moving northwestward at 15 km/h.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 is raised over the following areas:

• Batanes
• the northeastern portion of Babuyan Islands (Babuyan Is., Panuitan Is., Calayan Is., Camiguin Is.)

TCWS No. 1 is raised over the following areas:

• The rest of Babuyan Islands
• mainland Cagayan
• the northeastern portion of Isabela (Maconacon, Divilacan, Santa Maria, Cabagan, San Pablo, Palanan)
• Ilocos Norte
• Apayao

Hazards affecting land areas

Heavy rainfall outlook due to Tropical Cyclone Rosal forecasted at 50-100 mm in Batanes.

Forecast rainfall may be higher in mountainous and elevated areas. Moreover, impacts in some areas may be worsened by significant antecedent rainfall.

Severe Winds

The Northeasterly Windflow and the periphery of Rosal will bring strong to gale-force gusts over the following areas (especially in coastal and upland areas exposed to winds): Most of Luzon and Visayas, Zamboanga del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Camiguin, Davao Occidental, and Davao Oriental.

Hazards affecting coastal waters

A Gale Warning is in effect over the seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon.

Sea travel is risky for all types or tonnage of vessels. All mariners must remain in port or, if underway, seek shelter or safe harbor as soon as possible until winds and waves subside.

Track and Intensity Outlook

Typhoon Rosal will continue moving generally northwestward until Saturday (24 October) before moving northward then north northeastward between tomorrow and Sunday (25 October).

On the forecast track, the tropical cyclone will exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by early Saturday morning.

Rosal will weaken gradually within 24 hours then will weaken rapidly and may be downgraded into a severe tropical storm by Saturday morning and is likely to weaken further into a tropical storm by evening. — BAP, GMA News