Pepito now stronger, Signal No. 3 over parts of Catanduanes, Northern Samar

Typhoon Pepito continues to pick up strength as it moves west northwestward over the Philippine Sea, PAGASA said in its 2 a.m. weather bulletin.

Signal No. 3 has been raised over the eastern portion of Catanduanes and the northeastern portion of Northern Samar.                                                                                                            

Signal No. 2 has been hoisted over the following areas:

• the rest of Catanduanes
• the eastern and central portions of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Siruma, Tinambac, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Presentacion, San Jose, Goa, Sagñay, Tigaon, Buhi, Iriga City, Ocampo, Calabanga, Bombon, Naga City, Pili, Baao, Magarao, Canaman, Camaligan, Milaor, Gainza, Bula, Nabua, Bato, Balatan, Minalabac, San Fernando, Pamplona, Cabusao, Libmanan, Pasacao, Sipocot, Lupi)
• the eastern portion of Camarines Norte (Mercedes, Basud, Daet, Talisay, San Lorenzo Ruiz, Vinzons, San Vicente)
• Albay
• Sorsogon

Visayas

• the northern portion of Eastern Samar (Arteche, Oras, San Policarpo, Dolores, Jipapad, Maslog, Can-Avid, Taft)
• the northeastern portion of Samar (San Jose de Buan, Matuguinao)
• the rest of Northern Samar

The following areas are placed under Signal No. 1:

Luzon

• Masbate including Ticao Island and Burias Island
• the rest of Camarines Norte
• the rest of Camarines Sur
• Marinduque
• the eastern portion of Romblon (Cajidiocan, San Fernando, Magdiwang, Romblon, Banton, Corcuera)
• Quezon including Polillo Islands'
• Laguna
• the eastern and central portions of Cavite (Mendez, Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Noveleta, Silang, City of Dasmariñas, City of General Trias, Amadeo, Carmona, Kawit, Naic, Rosario, Tanza, Tagaytay City, Bacoor City, Trece Martires City, Imus City, Cavite City, Indang)
• the northern and eastern portions of Batangas (Malvar, Cuenca, Taysan, Talisay, Padre Garcia, Santo Tomas, San Jose, Lipa City, Ibaan, City of Tanauan, Mataasnakahoy, Balete, San Juan, Rosario)
• Rizal
• Metro Manila
• Aurora
• Nueva Ecija
• Pampanga
• Tarlac
• Bulacan
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Isabela
• the eastern portion of Pangasinan (Alcala, Bayambang, Bautista, Villasis, City of Urdaneta, Rosales, Balungao, Umingan, San Quintin, Natividad, San Nicolas, Tayug, Santa Maria, Asingan, San Manuel, Santo Tomas, Binalonan)
• Ifugao
• the eastern portion of Mountain Province (Paracelis, Natonin, Barlig)
• the eastern portion of Benguet (Buguias, Kabayan, Bokod, Itogon)

Visayas

• the rest of Eastern Samar
• the rest of Samar
• Biliran
• the northern and eastern portions of Leyte (Tunga, Pastrana, San Miguel, Matag-Ob, Tolosa, Palo, Calubian, Leyte, Mayorga, Julita, Carigara, Babatngon, Dagami, Jaro, San Isidro, Santa Fe, Albuera, Villaba, La Paz, Palompon, Macarthur, Tabontabon, Tanauan, Merida, Ormoc City, Isabel, Dulag, Capoocan, Alangalang, Burauen, Tabango, Tacloban City, Kananga, Barugo, Abuyog, Javier)
• the northeastern portion of Southern Leyte (Silago)
• the northernmost portion of Cebu (Daanbantayan, Medellin) including Bantayan Islands
• the northeastern portion of Iloilo (Carles)

Mindanao

• the northern portion of Dinagat Islands (Loreto, Tubajon)

Pepito is moving west northwestward at 30 kilometers per hour (km/h) with a maximum sustained winds of 155 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 190 km/h.  It was spotted 260 km east nirtheast of Guiuan, Eastern Samar.

Pepito will continue to rapidly intensify Saturday through Sunday and may reach super typhoon category prior to its landfall, according to PAGASA.

On the track forecast, PAGASA said Pepito is more likely to make landfall in the vicinity of Catanduanes Saturday night or Sunday early morning.

"However, considering the limits of the forecast confidence cone, a landfall scenario over the eastern coast of Camarines Sur, Albay, or Sorsogon during the same time frame, over the eastern coast of Northern Samar this afternoon or evening, or along the eastern coast of Quezon or Aurora tomorrow afternoon or evening remains not ruled out," the weather bureau added.

Pepito is expected to exit the PAR region on Monday.—LDF, GMA Integrated News