MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Storm Rosal (Pakhar) slightly weakened on Monday afternoon, December 12, while still moving away from the country.

Rosal’s maximum sustained winds decreased from 85 kilometers per hour to 75 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in its 5 pm bulletin on Monday. The tropical storm’s gustiness also eased from 105 km/h to 90 km/h.

Rosal was last spotted 880 kilometers east of extreme Northern Luzon, moving east northeast at 15 km/h.

PAGASA said Rosal is expected to move east until early Tuesday, December 13, before turning southeast to south for the rest of Tuesday.

It is likely to rapidly weaken due to cold air from the surge of the northeast monsoon or hanging amihan.

Rosal could become a remnant low late Tuesday evening or early Wednesday morning, December 14, before dissipating altogether.

Rosal did not make landfall in the country, though it did bring heavy rain and strong winds to parts of the country over the weekend. Signal No. 1 had been raised.

Meanwhile, PAGASA said the surge of the northeast monsoon, partly enhanced by Rosal, may continue to bring occasional gusts to these areas:

• Batanes
• Babuyan Islands
• northern and eastern parts of Cagayan
• eastern part of Isabela
• Ilocos Norte

Also due to the surge of the northeast monsoon, PAGASA issued another gale warning at 5 pm on Monday, as rough to very rough seas persist in the following seaboards:

• seaboards of Northern Luzon (Batanes, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands, Isabela) – waves 2.8 to 5 meters high

The weather bureau advised fishing boats and other small vessels not to sail, and larger vessels to watch out for big waves.

The surge of the northeast monsoon and the tropical storm combined may also cause moderate to rough seas in these seaboards:

• seaboards of Central Luzon – waves 1.5 to 3.5 meters high
• eastern seaboards of Southern Luzon and Visayas – waves 1.2 to 3 meters high

Travel may be risky for small vessels.

Rosal is the country’s 18th tropical cyclone for 2022 and the first for December. PAGASA earlier said there may be one or two tropical cyclones during the month. – Rappler.com