By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
After gathering strength as it hovered over the Pacific Ocean, Super Typhoon Champi entered the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) at 10:40 a.m. Tuesday, and was given the name ‘Rosal’.
According to PAGASA’s 11:00 a.m. bulletin, Super Typhoon Rosal was last located 1,385 km east of southeastern Luzon, packing maximum sustained winds of 185 kph and gustiness of up to 230 kph as it moves west northwestward at 25 kph.
Due to the weather system’s massive cloud cover, the state weather bureau has hoisted Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 in the following areas in Northern Luzon, which are expected to experience strong winds over the next 36 hours:
- Batanes
- Babuyan Islands
- Cagayan
- Isabela
- Catanduanes
While a gale warning advisory is yet to be issued, fisherfolk and owners of small seacrafts are urged to exercise great caution in sailing on open water due to very rough seas over the northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes, with waves reaching up to 4.5 m high.
Rough seas are also expected over the following coastal waters:
• Up to 4.0 m: The seaboard of Isabela; the eastern seaboards of Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and mainland Cagayan; the northern seaboards of Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur; the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Samar and Eastern Samar.
• Up to 3.5 m: The northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands; the eastern seaboards of Albay and Sorsogon; the remaining seaboard of Batanes.
• Up to 3.0 m: The seaboards of Aurora and northern Quezon; the eastern seaboards of Dinagat Islands and Siargao-Bucas Grande Island Group; the remaining seaboards of Cagayan and Camarines Norte.
Super Typhoon Rosal is forecast to move west northwestward until Wednesday, before moving generally northwestward until October 23, before turning northward until it exits PAR on late Friday or early Saturday.
It is expected to maintain its strength as a super typhoon, but may further intensify as it moves over the Philippine Sea.
jpv
