MANILA, Philippines – The country’s northernmost province of Batanes was placed under Signal No. 2 shortly before noontime on Wednesday, October 21, due to Super Typhoon Rosal (Champi).
Rosal was located 845 kilometers east of Northern Luzon as of 10 am on Wednesday, moving west northwest at a slightly slower 25 kilometers per hour from the previous 30 km/h.
The super typhoon maintained its strength, with maximum sustained winds of 215 km/h and gustiness of up to 265 km/h. It is already at its peak intensity, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
Rosal is still affecting parts of the country even though it will remain offshore. It will be closest to extreme Northern Luzon between Thursday, October 22, and Friday afternoon, October 23.
Below are the areas under tropical cyclone wind signals as of 11 am on Wednesday.
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
- Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
- eastern part of Isabela (Maconacon, Divilacan, Palanan, Santa Maria, Cabagan, Delfin Albano, Santo Tomas, Tumauini, San Pablo, Ilagan City, San Mariano, Dinapigue)
- Ilocos Norte
- Apayao
- northeastern part of Catanduanes (Pandan, Bagamanoc, Panganiban, Viga, Gigmoto)
There is a possibility of Signal No. 3 being raised, depending on Rosal’s track.
The northeasterly windflow and the periphery or outer bands of the super typhoon will also bring strong to gale-force gusts to the following areas:
Wednesday, October 21
- Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Bicol, Romblon, Aurora, Eastern Visayas, Siquijor, Bohol, Northern Mindanao, Caraga, Davao Region, Sarangani
Thursday, October 22
- most of Luzon and Visayas, Zamboanga del Norte, Northern Mindanao, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Sarangani, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental
Friday, October 23
- most of Luzon and Visayas, Misamis Occidental, Lanao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Davao Occidental, Davao Oriental
In the next 48 hours, Rosal may also trigger significant rainfall in at least four provinces in Northern Luzon. The following should watch out for floods and landslides:
Wednesday noon, October 21, to Thursday noon, October 22
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 millimeters): Batanes, Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Cagayan
Thursday noon, October 22, to Friday noon, October 23
- Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Batanes, Cagayan
On Wednesday, aside from the provinces mentioned above, Rosal may trigger moderate to at times heavy rain in Isabela and Catanduanes, as well as scattered rain and thunderstorms in the rest of Cagayan Valley, the rest of Bicol, the rest of the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Sur, Quezon, and Eastern Visayas.
Meanwhile, PAGASA updated its warnings for affected seaboards on Wednesday morning. Waves in portions of extreme Northern Luzon may now reach up to 9 meters or 29.5 feet high.
Up to very rough seas (travel is risky for all vessels)
- Northern and eastern seaboards of Batanes; eastern seaboard of Babuyan Islands – waves up to 9 meters high
- Northern and eastern seaboards of Cagayan – waves up to 8 meters high
- Remaining seaboards of Batanes; northern seaboard of Babuyan Islands; remaining seaboard of Cagayan; northeastern seaboard of Isabela – waves up to 7 meters high
- Remaining seaboard of Isabela – waves up to 6 meters high
- Eastern seaboard of northern Aurora; northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes; northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands; northern seaboards of Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur; northern seaboard of Ilocos Norte – waves up to 5 meters high
- Remaining seaboard of Aurora; northern seaboard of Northern Samar; eastern seaboards of Albay and Sorsogon – waves up to 4.5 meters high
Up to rough seas (small vessels should not venture out to sea)
- Eastern seaboards of northern Quezon and Eastern Samar; remaining seaboard of Northern Samar – waves up to 4 meters high
- Remaining seaboard of Ilocos Norte – waves up to 3.5 meters high
- Seaboard of La Union; northern seaboards of Dinagat Islands and Siargao-Bucas Grande Island Group; remaining seaboard of Catanduanes; northern seaboard of Ilocos Sur; northern and eastern seaboards of Davao Oriental; northwestern seaboard of Pangasinan – waves up to 3 meters high
Up to moderate to rough seas (small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible)
- Seaboards of Surigao del Sur and Surigao del Norte; southern seaboard of Davao Oriental; remaining eastern seaboard of Quezon; remaining seaboards of Ilocos Sur, Dinagat Islands, and Siargao-Bucas Grande Island Group – waves up to 2.5 meters high
- Eastern seaboard of Davao Occidental – waves up to 2 meters high
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PAGASA expects Rosal to start gradually weakening on Wednesday afternoon. It may be downgraded to a typhoon by Thursday and into a severe tropical storm by Sunday, October 25.
Rosal is still projected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Friday evening or early Saturday morning, October 24. It entered PAR on Tuesday, October 20.
Rosal is the Philippines’ 18th tropical cyclone for 2026, and the first for October. PAGASA earlier estimated the country may have one or two tropical cyclones during the month.
The Philippines is currently in a transition period to the northeast monsoon or amihan, following the end of the southwest monsoon or habagat, which was announced last October 5.
The northeast monsoon typically brings surges of cold temperatures, but the upcoming amihan period could be warmer as the existing strong El Niño in the tropical Pacific Ocean is predicted to become very strong in the fourth quarter of 2026. – Rappler.com