Signal No. 5 over eastern Polillo Islands as Pepito maintains strength

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 5 is still raised over the eastern portion of the Polillo Islands while Super Typhoon Pepito (international name: Man-Yi) maintained its strength late Sunday morning, according to PAGASA.

TCWS No. 5 covers the municipalities of Burdeos, Patnanungan, and Jomalig. They are expected to face typhoon-force winds with speeds of 185 km/h or higher in the next 12 hours, posing extreme threat to life and property.

Meanwhile, the following areas were under TCWS No. 4, as of 11 a.m.:

• Aurora,
• Quirino,
• Nueva Vizcaya,
• the southern portion of Ifugao (Kiangan, Lamut, Tinoc, Asipulo, Lagawe),
• the southern portion of Benguet (Bokod, Itogon, Tuba, Baguio City, Kabayan, La Trinidad, Sablan, Tublay, Kapangan, Atok),
• the southern portion of La Union (Burgos, Naguilian, Bauang, Caba, Tubao, Pugo, Aringay, Santo Tomas, Rosario, Agoo, Bagulin, City of San Fernando),
• the eastern portion of Pangasinan (Sison, Tayug, Binalonan, San Manuel, Umingan, Asingan, San Quintin, Santa Maria, Natividad, San Nicolas, Balungao, Pozorrubio, Laoac, San Jacinto, San Fabian, Manaoag, City of Urdaneta, Villasis, Rosales),
• the eastern portion of Nueva Ecija (General Tinio, Gabaldon, Laur, Bongabon, Palayan City, Pantabangan, Rizal, General Mamerto Natividad, Lupao, San Jose City, Llanera, Carranglan),
• the northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta) including the rest of Polillo Islands,
• and Calaguas Islands

These areas may face typhoon-force winds ranging 118 to 184 km/h in the next 12 hours that may have significant to severe threat to life and property.

Meanwhile, TCWS No. 3 was raised over these areas:

• The southern portion of Isabela (San Agustin, Jones, Echague, San Guillermo, Angadanan, Alicia, San Mateo, Ramon, San Isidro, City of Santiago, Cordon, Dinapigue, Roxas, San Manuel, Aurora, Cabatuan, City of Cauayan, Luna),
• the rest of Ifugao,
• Mountain Province,
• the southern portion of Abra (Tubo, Luba, Pilar, Villaviciosa, San Isidro, Pidigan, Langiden, San Quintin),
• Ilocos Sur,
• the rest of Benguet,
• the rest of La Union,
• the rest of Pangasinan, the northern portion of Zambales (Santa Cruz, Candelaria, Masinloc, Palauig), Tarlac,
• the rest of Nueva Ecija,
• the northern portion of Pampanga (Candaba, Arayat, Magalang, San Luis, San Simon, Mexico, Santa Ana, Apalit, Santo Tomas, City of San Fernando, Mabalacat City, Angeles City),
• the northern portion of Bulacan (Norzagaray, San Miguel, San Ildefonso, San Rafael, Doña Remedios Trinidad, Angat, City of San Jose del Monte, Santa Maria, Pandi, Baliuag, Bustos, Pulilan, Plaridel), |
• the northern portion of Rizal (Pililla, Tanay, City of Antipolo, Rodriguez, Baras, San Mateo, Morong, Teresa),
• the eastern portion of Laguna (Santa Maria, Famy, Mabitac, Pakil, Pangil, Siniloan, Paete, Kalayaan, Lumban, Cavinti),
• the central and eastern portion of Quezon (Real, Perez, Calauag, Alabat, Quezon, Mauban, Sampaloc), and the western portion of Camarines Norte (Santa Elena, Labo, Capalonga, Paracale, Vinzons, San Vicente, Talisay, Daet, Jose Panganiban)

Storm-force winds ranging 89 to 117 km/h may face these areas in the next 18 hours, resulting in moderate to significant threat to life and property.

TCWS No. 2 was raised in these areas:

• The rest of Isabela,
• the southwestern portion of mainland Cagayan (Enrile, Tuao, Solana, Tuguegarao City, Piat, Rizal), Kalinga,
• the southern portion of Apayao (Conner, Kabugao),
• the rest of Abra,
• Ilocos Norte,
• the rest of Zambales,
• Bataan,
• the rest of Pampanga,
• the rest of Bulacan,
• Metro Manila,
• the rest of Rizal,
• Cavite,
• the rest of Laguna,
• the rest of Quezon,
• the rest of Camarines Norte,
• Camarines Sur, and
• the western portion of Catanduanes (Pandan, Caramoran, San Andres)

They may experience gale-force winds ranging 62 to 88 km/h in the next 24 hours, with wind impacts possibly resulting in minor to moderate threat to life and property.

TCWS No. 1, on the other hand, was raised over the following areas:

• The rest of mainland Cagayan,
• the rest of Apayao, 
• Batangas,
• the northern portion of Occidental Mindoro (Abra de Ilog, Paluan) including Lubang Islands,
• the northern portion of Oriental Mindoro (Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, Naujan, Baco, Victoria, Socorro, Pinamalayan, Gloria, Pola, City of Calapan), 
• the northern portion of Romblon (Cajidiocan, San Fernando, Magdiwang, Romblon, Banton, Corcuera, Concepcion, San Andres, Calatrava, San Agustin), 
• Marinduque, 
• the northern portion of Masbate (City of Masbate, Mobo, Aroroy, Baleno) including Burias and Ticao Islands,
• Albay,
• Sorsogon, and
• the rest of Catanduanes

The center of the eye of Pepito was last seen 120 km East Southeast of Baler, Aurora, with a maximum sustained winds of 185 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 230 km/h.

It was moving northwestward at 20 km/h.

Coastal waters

According to PAGASA, there is a high risk of life-threatening storm surge with peak surge heights exceeding 3.0 m in the next 48 hours over the low-lying or exposed coastal localities of Ilocos Region (western coast), Isabela, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Marinduque, and Bicol Region.

A gale warning was also hoisted over the eastern and western seaboards of Luzon.

Up to very rough, high, or very high seas over the following coastal waters:

• Up to 14.0 m: The northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands; the seaboard of Aurora
• Up to 12.0 m: The seaboard of Camarines Norte
• Up to 9.0 m: The seaboard of northern Quezon
• Up to 8.0 m: The seaboard of Isabela
• Up to 7.0 m: The northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes; the northern seaboard of Camarines Sur
• Up to 5.0 m: The eastern seaboards of mainland Cagayan, Camarines Sur, and Albay; the remaining seaboards of Polillo Islands and Catanduanes
• Up to 4.5 m: The seaboards of Sorsogon and Northern Samar; the eastern seaboard of Eastern Samar; the remaining seaboards of Camarines Sur, Albay, and Quezon; the seaboards of Ilocos Region, Masbate including Burias and Ticao Islands, and Marinduque

Track, intensity

Pepito is expected to move generally west northwestward or northwestward and is seen to make landfall in the vicinity of Aurora on Sunday afternoon.

Afterwards, it will cross the northern portion of Central Luzon and the southern portion of Northern Luzon via the upland regions of the Sierra Madre, Caraballo, and Cordillera Central between this afternoon and evening. 

The tropical cyclone is also forecast to exit the landmass of Luzon on Sunday night.

Over the West Philippine Sea, Pepito will continue moving generally west northwestward on Monday. It may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) region by Monday morning or noon. 

Outside the PAR region, the tropical cyclone will turn more westward or west southwestward on Tuesday under the influence of an incoming northeasterly wind surge.

Heavy rainfall, severe winds, and storm surge may still be experienced in localities outside the landfall point and the forecast confidence cone, said PAGASA. The track may also still shift within the limit of the forecast confidence cone.

Pepito is also seen to slightly weaken as a typhoon prior to its second landfall. Significant weakening will occur during the passage of this tropical cyclone over mainland Luzon within the day.

PAGASA said that further weakening will also occur as Pepito moves over the West Philippine Sea due to the incoming northeasterly wind surge. —Giselle Ombay/RF, GMA Integrated News