Typhoon Rosita’s heavy rain to begin evening of October 29

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MANILA, Philippines – More areas were placed under Signal No. 3 late Monday afternoon, October 29, as Typhoon Rosita (Yutu) continues to threaten the southern Isabela-northern Aurora area.

In a press briefing past 5 pm on Monday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Rosita is already 310 kilometers east northeast of Casiguran, Aurora. It is moving west at a slightly slower 15 kilometers per hour (km/h) from the previous 20 km/h.

The typhoon maintained its strength, with maximum winds of 150 km/h and gustiness of up to 185 km/h. It has a diameter of 600 kilometers.

Below are the areas under tropical cyclone warning signals.

Signal No. 3:

• Isabela
• Quirino
• northern part of Aurora
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Ifugao

Signal No. 2:

• Cagayan
• Ilocos Norte
• Apayao
• Abra
• Kalinga
• Ilocos Sur
• Mountain Province
• La Union
• Benguet
• Pangasinan
• Tarlac
• Nueva Ecija
• northern part of Quezon including Polillo Island
• southern part of Aurora
• Zambales
• Pampanga
• Bulacan

Signal No. 1:

• southern part of Quezon
• Batanes
• Babuyan Group of Islands
• Rizal
• Metro Manila
• Laguna
• Batangas
• Bataan
• Cavite
• Camarines Norte

PAGASA warned that stormy weather is expected in areas under Signal Nos. 2 and 3. It is risky to travel by land in those areas.

Moderate to heavy rain and strong to very strong winds are expected to begin hitting Northern Luzon and Central Luzon on Monday evening.

Then on Tuesday morning, October 30, between 5 am and 7 am, Rosita could make landfall in the southern Isabela-northern Aurora area. (READ: FAST FACTS: Tropical cyclones, rainfall advisories)

After making landfall, the typhoon is expected to cross Aurora, Isabela, Quirino, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, and La Union. It might exit landmass on Tuesday afternoon.

PAGASA warned that flash floods and landslides are possible in areas in the typhoon’s path. There might also be storm surges up to 3 meters high in coastal areas of Isabela, Cagayan, Aurora, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, and La Union.

Residents of some coastal areas preemptively evacuated ahead of Rosita’s landfall. (READ: Cagayan braces for Typhoon Rosita a month after Ompong)

Classes have been suspended in various areas due to the typhoon. (READ: #WalangPasok: Class suspensions, Tuesday, October 30)

Sea travel is also risky in the seaboards of areas under tropical cyclone warning signals, in the eastern and western seaboards of Southern Luzon, and in the eastern seaboards of the Visayas and Mindanao.

A gale warning was issued at 5 pm on Monday for the western coast of northern Palawan, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, the eastern coast of Sorsogon, the eastern coast of Albay, Northern Samar, Eastern Samar, Surigao, Dinagat Islands, Siargao, and Davao Oriental.

Seas off those areas are rough to very rough, with wave heights reaching 2.6 meters to 5.5 meters.

PAGASA advised fishermen and others with small vessels not to set sail in areas covered by the gale warning. Larger vessels should watch out for big waves.

Based on Rosita’s latest forecast track, it will leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Wednesday evening, October 31.

Rosita is the Philippines’ 18th tropical cyclone for 2018. The country usually gets an average of 20 tropical cyclones per year. (READ: LIST: PAGASA’s names for tropical cyclones in 2018)

PAGASA declared the start of the rainy season last June 8. – Rappler.com