Rosal further weakens; Signal No. 2 still up in Batanes, Babuyan Islands

MANILA, Philippines — Typhoon Rosal (international name: Champi) slightly weakened as it continued to move further away from the country on Friday morning, the state weather bureau said.

According to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) in its latest typhoon bulletin, Rosal was last spotted 305 kilometers (km) northeast of Itbayat, Batanes.

READ: Typhoon Rosal keeps strength; 2 areas under Signal No. 2

As of writing, Rosal now carries maximum sustained wind speeds of 150 km per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 185 kph.

“Rosal is forecast to weaken gradually within 24 hours then it will weaken rapidly afterwards,” said Pagasa.

“It may be downgraded into a severe tropical storm by tomorrow afternoon or evening and is likely to weaken further into a tropical storm by Sunday morning,” it added.

Rosal is then forecast to exit the Philippine area of responsibility sometime by Saturday morning.

Meanwhile, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No.2 (or where winds greater than 62 kph and up to 88 kph are expected to be experienced in at least 24 hours) remains hoisted over Batanes and the northeastern portion of Babuyan Islands.

On the other hand, Signal No. 1 remains raised over the following Luzon areas:

• The rest of Babuyan Islands
• Mainland Cagayan
• Ilocos Norte
• Apayao

/jpv