Tropical Depression Rosal, which won’t hit land, is expected to intensify into a tropical storm in the East Philippine Sea, where it has maintained a wind speed of 45 kph with gusts of 55 kph.
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) weather specialist Aldczar Aurelio said Sunday morning that Tropical Depression (TD) Rosal is moving north northeastward at 20 kph.
“Sa ating forecast track, mula ngayon hanggang sa mga darating na araw, ay unti unting lalayo sa ating kalupaan si bagyong Rosal. Sa makatuwid, malabo na pong mag landfall ang bagyong Rosal sa ating bansa,” he said.
Rosal is forecast to intensify into a tropical storm over the next 36 hours, according to Aurelio, but it is predicted to weaken into a low pressure area (LPA) on Wednesday, December 14, while it is still inside the country’s area of responsibility.
He stated that the Northeast Monsoon surge, which is being partially aided by Rosal, could occasionally produce gale-force winds over the Batanes and Babuyan Islands as well as strong breezes to near-gale strength over Ilocos Norte, the northern and eastern parts of Cagayan, the eastern part of Isabela, the Calaguas Islands, and the very northern part of Catanduanes in the next 24 hours.
“May mga inaasahan pa rin tayo na malalakas na pag-ulan, mula ngayon hanggang tanghali, makakaranas po ng mahihina hanggang sa katamtaman, hanggang sa kung minsan may malakas na pag-ulan sa MIMAROPA. Kaya patuloy pa rin tayong mag-ingat para sa mga kababayan natin sa MIMAROPA dahil sa mga pag-ulan na mararanasan na maaaring magdulot ng pagbaha at pagguho ng lupa,” he said.
The gale warning is still in effect over Batanes, Cagayan, the Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, and Pangasinan.
