Supertyphoon Rosal to enter PAR Oct. 20

MANILA, Philippines — Supertyphoon Champi may enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Tuesday and will be locally named Rosal, bringing potentially destructive winds and heavy rains to northern Luzon later this week, according to the weather bureau.

In its update as of 5 p.m. on Sunday, Pagasa (Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration) said Champi was spotted 2,000 kilometers (km) east of southeastern Luzon. It was moving westward at 20 km per hour (kph), with maximum sustained winds of 185 kph near the center and gusts of up to 230 kph.

The weather disturbance is expected to move west-northwestward toward the Philippine Sea and could make its closest approach to the country on Friday, according to Pagasa weather specialist Grace Castañeda-Carpio.

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READ: Severe Tropical Storm Champi outside PAR intensifies into a typhoon

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Although Champi may weaken from a supertyphoon to a typhoon as it traverses the Philippine Sea, it could still bring strong winds to northern Luzon, particularly its northernmost areas.

Pagasa said the highest possible tropical cyclone wind signal for the approaching storm was Signal No. 3 or 4.

Wind signals could be raised over the northern and eastern sections of northern Luzon and the eastern portion of the Bicol Region, particularly Catanduanes, as early as Monday evening or early Tuesday morning, Castañeda-Carpio said.

The strong winds are expected to begin affecting these areas on Wednesday onward, with the potential to topple trees and disrupt telecommunications and electricity services.

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The storm could also bring heavy rainfall to parts of northern Luzon, with its effects expected to peak on Thursday and Friday.

Cagayan and nearby areas in extreme northern Luzon could begin experiencing heavy rains as early as Wednesday evening, Castañeda-Carpio said.

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By Thursday and Friday, heavy rainfall is expected particularly over Batanes, Cagayan, Apayao and Ilocos Norte. Other parts of northern Luzon may also experience scattered rain showers.

Pagasa warned that the rains could trigger flooding and landslides.

Champi’s trough, or extension, may also bring scattered rain showers to the Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, Caraga and Northern Mindanao on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Rough seas and strong winds are also possible along the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon beginning Wednesday. Pagasa may issue a gale warning for these coastal waters as early as Tuesday evening or early Wednesday morning.

As of Sunday evening, however, Champi still had no direct effect on any part of the country.

The intertropical convergence zone continues to affect Palawan and the western section of Mindanao, bringing scattered rain showers to Palawan, the Zamboanga Peninsula, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi.

Meanwhile, the easterlies affecting most of Luzon and the Visayas are bringing scattered rain showers, thunderstorms and lightning to Quezon, the Bicol Region and Eastern Visayas.

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In the rest of the country, including Metro Manila, isolated rain showers and thunderstorms are possible tonight due to the easterlies and localized thunderstorms. —With a report from Dianne Sampang