(Eagle News)—Signal No. 1 has been raised over several areas as Tropical Depression “Pepito” accelerated west on Monday morning while maintaining its strength.
In its recent advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said under Signal No. 1 are the eastern portion of Isabela (Palanan, Dinapigue, the eastern portion of San Mariano) and the northern portion of Aurora (Dinalungan, Casiguran, Dilasag).
“Pepito,” PAGASA said, was estimated 475 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes, packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 55 kph.
PAGASA said it is moving at 30 kph.
“Pepito,” PAGASA said, will move west northwestward or northwestward today, then turn westward tomorrow towards the Northern Luzon-Central Luzon area.
It is forecast to intensify into a tropical storm before making landfall over the eastern coast of Northern Luzon-Central Luzon area between tomorrow evening and Wednesday early morning, and may emerge over the West Philippine Sea on Wednesday morning.
•After crossing the landmass of Luzon, “Pepito” may further intensify over the West Philippine Sea and may reach severe tropical storm category by Thursday, PAGASA said.
Today, light to moderate with at times heavy rains may be experienced over Quezon, Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Bangasamoro, Caraga, Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato, and Sarangani. Flooding (including flashfloods).
PAGASA said rain-induced landslides may occur during heavy or prolonged rainfall.
Areas under signal number one may experience occasional gusts in the next 36 hours.
The northeasterly surface windflow partly enhanced by “Pepito” may also bring strong-force to near gale-force winds with occasional gusts over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, and the coastal and mountainous areas of northern Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon, and Northern Samar, the weather bureau said.
A gale warning is in effect over the seaboards of Batanes, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, and Isabela due to rough to very rough seas caused by the northeasterly surface windflow.
This means that sea travel is risky over these areas, especially for those using small seacraft.
Moderate to rough seas due to “Pepito” and the northeasterly surface windflow, on the other hand, will be experienced in the next 24 hours over the eastern seaboards of Central Luzon and Bicol Region and the seaboards of Northern Samar and Eastern Samar.
Those with small seacraft were advised to take precautionary measures while venturing out to sea.
