Pepito nears super typhoon category; Signal No. 3 up over 6 areas

Typhoon Pepito (international name: Man-Yi) gets closer to becoming a super typhoon on Saturday morning, PAGASA said.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 3 was raised over these six areas:

1. Catanduanes;
2. the eastern portion of Albay (Rapu-Rapu, Bacacay, City of Tabaco, Malilipot, Tiwi, Malinao);
3. the eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Presentacion, San Jose, Garchitorena, Lagonoy, Sagñay, Tigaon, Goa);
4. the easternmost portion of Sorsogon (Prieto Diaz);
5. the eastern portion of Northern Samar (Palapag, Laoang, Mapanas, Gamay, Lapinig, Catubig, Pambujan); and
6. the northernmost portion of Eastern Samar (San Policarpo, Arteche, Oras, Jipapad).

The above-mentioned areas will have storm-force winds with speeds of 89 to 117 km/h in 18 hours which pose moderate to significant threat to life and property.

Meanwhile, TCWS No. 2 was hoisted over the following areas:

• the rest of Camarines Sur;
• the rest of Albay;
• the rest of Sorsogon;
• Ticao Island;
• Camarines Norte;
• the easternmost portion of mainland Quezon (Tagkawayan),
• Pollilo Islands;
• the northern portion of Eastern Samar (Dolores, Maslog, Can-Avid, Taft, Sulat, San Julian, City of Borongan);
• the northern portion of Samar (Matuguinao, Calbayog City, Santa Margarita, San Jorge, San Jose de Buan, Tarangnan, Motiong, Gandara, Jiabong, City of Catbalogan, Paranas, Hinabangan, San Sebastian, Pagsanghan); and
• the rest of Northern Samar.

Areas under TCWS No. 2 will feel gale-force winds with speeds of 62 to 88 km/h in 24 hours which may pose minor to moderate threat to life and property.

TCWS No. 1 on the other hand is in effect over these areas:

• the rest of Masbate including Burias Island;
• Marinduque;
• Romblon;
• the rest of Quezon;
• Laguna;
• Rizal;
• Cavite;
• Batangas;
• Metro Manila;
• Zambales;
• Bataan;
• Bulacan;
• Pampanga;
• Tarlac;
• Nueva Ecija;
• Aurora;
• Quirino;
• Nueva Vizcaya;
• Isabela;
• the central and southern portions of Cagayan (Peñablanca, Tuguegarao City, Enrile, Solana, Iguig, Tuao, Rizal, Santo Niño, Lasam, Gattaran, Baggao, Amulung, Alcala, Piat, Lal-Lo, Allacapan);
• Pangasinan;
• La Union;
• Ilocos Sur;
• Abra;
• the southern portion of Apayao (Conner, Kabugao, Pudtol, Flora);
• Kalinga;
• Mountain Province;
• Ifugao;
• Benguet;
• the rest of Eastern Samar;
• the rest of Samar;
• Biliran;
• the northern and central 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, City of Baybay, Mahaplag);
• the northeastern portion of Southern Leyte (Silago);
• the northernmost portion of Cebu (Daanbantayan, Medellin) including Bantayan Islands; and
• the northernmost portion of Iloilo (Carles); and
• the northern portion of Dinagat Islands (Loreto, Tubajon).

The areas under TCWS No. 1 may experience strong winds with speeds of 39 to 61 km/h in 36 hours, which may pose minimal to minor threat to life and property.

Location, landfall

At 4 a.m. on Saturday, the center of the eye of Pepito was estimated to be located at 220 km east northeast of Borongan Cityt, Eastern Samar or 305 km east of Catarman, Northern Samar.

Pepito has maximum sustained winds of 175 km/h near the center, gustiness of up to 215 km/h, and central pressure of 940 hPa.

It is moving west northwestward at 25 km/h.

From its center, strong to typhoon-force winds are extending outwards up to 440 km.

PAGASA said Pepito is "more likely to make landfall in the vicinity of Catanduanes tonight or tomorrow (17 November) 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, or along the eastern coast of Quezon or Aurora tomorrow afternoon or evening remains not ruled out," the weather bureau added.

Pepito is forecast to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Monday.

Coastal waters

PAGASA raised a gale warning over the eastern and southern seaboards of Southern Luzon and the eastern seabooad of Visayas.

The weather bureau warned of up to very rough, high, or very high seas over the following coastal areas:

• Up to 14.0 m: The seaboard of Catanduanes.
• Up to 12.0 m: The northern seaboard of Camarines Sur.
• Up to 9.0 m: The northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Samar; the seaboard of Camarines Norte.
• Up to 7.0 m: The eastern seaboards of Albay, Sorsogon, and Eastern Samar.
• Up to 5.5 m: The remaining seaboards of Camarines Sur.
• Up to 4.5 m: The northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands; the seaboards of Aurora; the remaining seaboards of Albay, Sorsogon, and Northern Samar; the seaboards of Burias and Ticao Islands.

"Sea travel is risky for all types or tonnage of vessels. All mariners must remain in port or, if underway, seek shelter or safe harbor as soon as possible until winds and waves subside," PAGASA said.

Meanwhile, rough seas are to be expected over the following coastal waters:

• Up to 4.0 m: The seaboards of Dinagat Islands and northern Quezon.
• Up to 3.5 m: The seaboards of Isabela and Surigao del Norte including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands; the remaining seaboards of Polillo Islands and Quezon, Bicol Region, and Eastern Visayas
• Up to 3.0 m: The eastern seaboards of Cagayan and Babuyan Islands; the seaboard of Surigao del Sur; the seaboards of Marinduque, Romblon, and northern Cebu

"Mariners of small seacrafts, including all types of motorbancas, are advised not to venture out to sea under these conditions, especially if inexperienced or operating ill-equipped vessels," PAGASA said.

Moderate seas on the other hand will be experienced over the following coastal areas:

• Up to 2.5 m: The seaboards of Batanes and Davao Oriental
• Up to 2.0 m: The seaboards of Oriental Mindoro, Aklan, Capiz, Davao del Sur, and Ilocos Region.

"Mariners of motorbancas and similarly-sized vessels are advised to take precautionary measures while venturing out to sea and, if possible, avoid navigation under these conditions," the weather bureau said.

Track, intensity outlook

"PEPITO is forecast to move generally west northwestward within the next three days before turning generally westward to west southwestward from Monday (18 November) evening to Thursday (20 November) early morning," PAGASA said.

Over the weekend, Pepito will more likely move generally west northwestward and pass over or near the landmass of Bicol Region, Quezon, Central Luzon provinces, and the provinces of Benguet, La Union, and Pangasinan.

From there it will emerge over the West Philippine Sea on Sunday evening or Monday morning and be downgraded into a severe tropical storm.

"It must be emphasized that heavy rainfall, severe winds, and storm surge may still be experienced in localities outside the landfall point and the forecast confidence cone," PAGASA said.

"Furthermore, the track may still shift within the limit of the forecast confidence cone," it added.

Within the next few hours, Pepito may reach super typhoon category prior to its landfall tonight or early tomorrow morning.

PAGASA advised the public and disaster risk reduction and management offices concerned to take the necessary precautions to protect life and property.

The weather bureau will issue the next bulletin at 8 a.m. —KG, GMA Integrated News