'Pepito' intensifies into severe tropical storm

Pepito has intensified into a severe tropical storm at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, state weather bureau PAGASA says.

The weather disturbance is forecast to move west-northwestward and may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Thursday.

No typhoon cyclone wind signal is in effect.

Where is Pepito

At 4 p.m., Pepito was located 295 kilometers west of Dagupan City, Pangasinan. It packs winds of 95 kph and gusts of up to 115 kph. It is moving westward at 15 kph.

Most storm signals lifted, except in Pangasinan

Tropical Storm 'Pepito' has intensified slightly and now has maximum sustained winds of 85 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 105 km/h.

The storm has been forecast to gain strength at it moves over the West Philippine Sea and may develop into a severe tropical storm, Pagasa also says.

As of 10 a.m., 'Pepito' was 210 km west of Dagupan City, Pangasinan.

Only the western portion of Pangasinan (Bolinao, Anda, Bani, Agno, Alaminos City, Mabini, Burgos, Dasol, Sual, Labrador, Infanta) remains under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1.

Rainfall advisory: Aurora, Quirino

Pagasa reports light to moderate rains over Aurora (Baler,  Dipaculao, Dinalungan, Casiguran and Dilasag) and over Nagtipunan in Quirino province.

'Pepito' moving west northwest

'Pepito' was 115 kilometers northwest of Dagupan City and 120 km west northwest of Baguio City as of 7 a.m., Pagasa says in its 8 a.m. bulletin.

The tropical storm is moving west northwest at 30 km/h and has maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 90 km/h, the weather bureau also says.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 is up over the following areas:

  • La Union
  • Northern portion of Zambales (Iba, Palauig, Masinloc, Candelaria, Santa Cruz)
  • Western portion of Pangasinan (Bani, Anda, Bolinao, Agno, Dasol, Burgos, Alaminos City, Mabini, Sual, Infanta, Bugallon, Labrador, Aguilar, Mangatarem, Urbiztondo, Basista, Malasiqui, San Fabian, Pozzorubio, Sison, Laoac, Urdaneta City, Manaoag, San Jacinto, Dagupan City, Mangaldan, Mapandan, Santa Barbara, San Carlos City, Calasiao, Binmaley, Lingayen)

TCWS No. 1 is up over these areas:

  • Ilocos Norte
  • Ilocos Sur
  • Rest of Pangasinan
  • Abra
  • Western portion of Kalinga (Balbalan, Pasil, Lubuagan, Tinglayan)
  • Western portion of Mountain Province (Barlig, Sadanga, Bontoc, Sagada, Sabangan, Bauko, Tadian, Besao)
  • Wwestern portion of Ifugao (Banaue, Hingyon, Kiangan, Tinoc, Hungduan, Asipulo)
  • Benguet
  • Western portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Ambaguio, Kayapa, Aritao, Santa Fe)
  • Western portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Lupao, Muñoz City, Santo Domingo, Zaragoza, Aliaga, Licab, Guimba, Talugtug, Quezon, Nampicuan, Cuyapo)
  • Rest of Zambales
'Pepito' leaves mainland Luzon

'Pepito' is now over the Lingayen Gulf after crossing over Northern Luzon, PAGASA says, adding the tropical storm is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Thursday afternoon.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 is up over these areas:

  • Ilocos Sur
  • La Union
  • Pangasinan
  • Benguet
  • Tarlac
  • Northern portion of Zambales (Iba, Palauig, Masinloc, Candelaria, Santa Cruz, Botolan, Cabangan)

TCWS No. 1 is up over the following areas:

  • Ilocos Norte
  • Kalinga
  • Abra
  • Ifugao
  • Mountain Province
  • Southern portion of Isabela (Palanan, San Mariano, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Gamu, Burgos, San Manuel, Aurora, Cabatuan, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Cauayan City, Dinapigue, San Guillermo, Angadanan, Alicia, San Mateo, Ramon, San Isidro, Echague, San Agustin, Jones, Santiago City, Cordon)
  • Quirino
  • Nueva Vizcaya
  • Aurora
  • Nueva Ecija
  • Bulacan
  • Pampanga
  • Rest of Zambales
  • Bataan
Tropical cyclone wind signals

As of 8 p.m., October 20

Signal No. 2

  • La Union
  • Pangasinan
  • Ifugao
  • Benguet
  • Nueva Vizcaya
  • Quirino
  • Nueva Ecija
  • Tarlac
  • Aurora
  • the southern portion of Isabela (Palanan, San Mariano, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Gamu, Burgos, San Manuel, Aurora, Cabatuan, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Cauayan City, Dinapigue, San Guillermo, Angadanan, Alicia, San Mateo, Ramon, San Isidro, Echague, San Agustin, Jones, Santiago City, Cordon)
  • the southern portion of Ilocos Sur (Sugpon, Alilem, Tagudin)
  • the northern portion of Zambales (Iba, Palauig, Masinloc, Candelaria, Santa Cruz, Botolan, Cabangan)
  • the northern portion of Bulacan (San Miguel, Doña Remedios Trinidad),
  • the northern portion of Pampanga (Candaba, Arayat, Magalang, Mabalacat)  
  • the northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar)

Signal No. 1

  • Abra
  • Kalinga
  • Mountain Province
  • Bataan
  • Metro Manila
  • Rizal
  • the rest of northern portion of Quezon (Infanta, Real)
  • the rest of Zambales
'Pepito' maintains strength, moves closer to Aurora

State weather bureau PAGASA forecasts Tropical Storm Pepito to make landfall over the coast of Aurora between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.

As it moves through the Luzon landmass, the weather disturbance is seen to intensify into a severe tropical storm category by Thursday.

What to expect

Tonight through tomorrow morning 

Moderate to heavy rains over:

  • Central Luzon
  • MIMAROPA
  • Camarines Norte
  • Quezon
  • Nueva Vizcaya
  • Quirino
  • Isabela
  • mainland Cagayan
  • La Union
  • Pangasinan
  • Benguet

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains over:

  • Metro Manila
  • the rest of Luzon
  • Western Visayas
  • Zamboanga Peninsula
  • Bangsamoro

High to gale-force winds will be experienced in areas under Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) #1 and 2

High to gale-force winds with occasional gusts due to the northeasterly surface wind flow over:

  • Batanes
  • Babuyan Islands
  • the coastal and/or mountainous areas of mainland Cagayan
  • Apayao
  •  Ilocos Norte
Tropical cyclone wind signals

As of 5 p.m., October 20

Signal No. 2

  • La Union
  • Pangasinan
  • Ifugao
  • Benguet
  • Nueva Vizcaya
  • Quirino
  • Nueva Ecija
  • Tarlac
  • Aurora
  • the southern portion of Isabela (Palanan, San Mariano, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Gamu, Burgos, San Manuel, Aurora, Cabatuan, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Cauayan City, Dinapigue, San Guillermo, Angadanan, Alicia, San Mateo, Ramon, San Isidro, Echague, San Agustin, Jones, Santiago City, Cordon)
  • the southern portion of Ilocos Sur (Sugpon, Alilem, Tagudin)
  • the northern portion of Zambales (Iba, Palauig, Masinloc, Candelaria, Santa Cruz, Botolan, Cabangan)

Signal No. 1

  • Abra
  • Kalinga
  • Mountain Province
  • Bulacan
  • Pampanga
  • Bataan
  • Metro Manila
  • Rizal
  • the rest of northern portion of Quezon (Infanta, Real)
  • the rest of Zambales
'Pepito' slightly intensifies

Tropical Storm slightly intensifies as it moves westward through Luzon.

At 4 p.m., Pepito was located 110 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora. it packs maximum winds of 75 kph and gusts of up to 90 kph. It is moving west northwest at 30 kph.

What to expect

Today through tomorrow morning

Moderate to heavy rains over:

  • Central Luzon
  • MIMAROPA
  • Camarines Norte
  • Quezon
  • Nueva Vizcaya
  • Quirino
  • Isabela
  • mainland Cagayan
  • La Union
  • Pangasinan
  • Benguet

Light to moderate with at times heavy rains:  

  • Metro Manila
  • the rest of Luzon
  • Western Visayas
  • Zamboanga Peninsula
  • Bangsamoro
Moderate to heavy rains in Luzon areas as 'Pepito' maintains speed

'Pepito' was 195 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora as of 1 p.m., the PAGASA says in an afternoon bulletin.

The storm has maintained its speed of 25 kilometers per hour as it moves west northwest. It has maximum sustained winds of 65 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 80 km/h.

Moderate to heavy rains are expected over the following areas:

  • Bicol Region
  • MIMAROPA
  • Quezon
  • Aurora
  • Nueva Ecija
  • Nueva Vizcaya
  • Quirino
  • Isabela
  • Mainland Cagayan
  • Pangasinan
  • Benguet

"Light to moderate with at times heavy rains will be experienced over Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, and Bangsamoro," PAGASA also says.