Rain eases in Batanes as Typhoon Rosal starts moving away

MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Rosal (Champi) is now less likely to bring significant rainfall to Batanes, the weather bureau said on Friday afternoon, October 23. But scattered rain and thunderstorms can still hit Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, the Cordillera Administrative Region, Palawan, Masbate, the Visayas, the Zamboanga Peninsula, Misamis Occidental, Camiguin, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Basilan, and Tawi-Tawi in the next 24 hours, due to Rosal’s outer rainbands and the trough or extension of the typhoon. Rosal was already 385 kilometers north northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, as of 4 pm on Friday. It is moving north northwest at 20 kilometers per hour (km/h), and is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Saturday morning, October 24.

So far, the typhoon has maximum sustained winds of 155 km/h and gustiness of up to 190 km/h. At its peak, Rosal was a super typhoon with maximum sustained winds of 215 km/h. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) has yet to lift tropical cyclone wind signals for portions of Northern Luzon. These areas are still under wind signals as of 5 pm on Friday: Signal No. 2 Gale-force winds (62 to 88 km/h), minor to moderate threat to life and property Batanes Signal No. 1 Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h), minimal to minor threat to life and property northern part of Cagayan (Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Lal-lo, Santa Teresita, Camalaniugan, Aparri, Buguey, Gattaran, Baggao, Santa Praxedes, Claveria, Sanchez-Mira, Pamplona, Ballesteros, Abulug, Allacapan, Lasam) including Babuyan Islands northern part of Ilocos Norte (Pagudpud, Adams, Bangui, Vintar, Burgos, Bacarra, Pasuquin, Carasi, Dumalneg) northern part of Apayao (Calanasan, Luna, Santa…