Isolated rain showers seen as TS Rosal intensifies

MANILA – Tropical Storm (TS) Rosal (international name: Pakhar) has intensified and will bring isolated rain showers across the archipelago, the weather bureau said Monday.

In its latest bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Rosal now packs maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 105 kph. It was last tracked 770 km east of Calayan, Cagayan.

No tropical cyclone wind signal was hoisted on any part of the country.

Rosal is less likely to directly bring heavy rains, PAGASA said.

The northeast monsoon will cause light rains over Batanes and Babuyan Islands, while the rest of the country will experience isolated light rains caused by localized thunderstorms and the trough of Rosal.

PAGASA said that in the next 24 hours, the surge of the northeast monsoon partly enhanced by Rosal may bring occasional gusts reaching gale-force over Batanes, and strong breeze to near-gale strength over Babuyan Islands, and the coastal and upland areas of Ilocos Norte, northern and eastern Cagayan, and eastern Isabela.

Meanwhile, moderate to strong winds and moderate to rough seas will prevail over Luzon.

Rough to very rough seas may be experienced over the seaboards of Batanes, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands and Isabela.

PAGASA advised fishing boats and other small sea vessels not to venture into the sea, and larger sea vessels are alerted against big waves.

Over the Visayas and Mindanao, winds will be light to moderate with slight to moderate seas, PAGASA said. (PNA)