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.
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.
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.
Pagasa reports light to moderate rains over Aurora (Baler, Dipaculao, Dinalungan, Casiguran and Dilasag) and over Nagtipunan in Quirino province.
'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:
TCWS No. 1 is up over these areas:
'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:
TCWS No. 1 is up over the following areas:
As of 8 p.m., October 20
Signal No. 2
Signal No. 1
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.
Tonight through tomorrow morning
Moderate to heavy rains over:
Light to moderate with at times heavy rains over:
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:
As of 5 p.m., October 20
Signal No. 2
Signal No. 1
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.
Today through tomorrow morning
Moderate to heavy rains over:
Light to moderate with at times heavy rains:
'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:
"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.