"Rosal," now a typhoon, continues to weaken as it traverses the sea east of Batanes on Thursday night, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said.

PAGASA said Signal No. 2, however, remains hoisted over the northeastern part of Babuyan Islands and Batanes.

The following areas are also still under Signal No. 1:

- rest of Babuyan Islands

-mainland Cagayan

- northeastern portion of Isabela (Maconacon, Divilacan, Santa Maria, Cabagan, San Pablo, Palanan)

- Ilocos Norte

- Apayao

The northeasterly windflow and the periphery of "Rosal" will also bring strong to gale-force gusts over most of Luzon and Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Agusan del Norte, Surigao del Norte, Dinagat Islands, Sarangani today.

A gale warning is also in effect over the seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon.

According to the weather bureau, the eye of "Rosal" is so far located 305 km east northeast of Itbayat, Batanes.

"Rosal" is forecast to move generally northwestward until tomorrow morning and will begin to turn north northwestward by tomorrow afternoon "before recurving north northeastward by Saturday," PAGASA said.

It is expected to be closest to extreme Northern Luzon between tonight and tomorrow morning and will exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Friday evening or early Saturday morning.

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