Tropical Storm Pepito is now over the West Philippine Sea and is forecast to exit the Philippines tomorrow.
According Pagasa’s severe weather bulletin issued at 8 am today, Pepito is forecast to move generally westward over the West Philippine Sea today, before slowing down and turning northwestward tomorrow.
It is forecast to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) tomorrow morning or afternoon. On the forecast track, Pepito will accelerate and turn westward beginning Friday towards the central portion of Vietnam.
At 7:00 AM today, the center of Tropical Storm Pepito was estimated based on all available data at 115 km Northwest of Dagupan City, Pangasinan or 120 km West Northwest of Baguio City (16.7 °N, 119.5 °E ).
It is moving West Northwestward at 30 km/h with maximum sustained winds of 75 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 90 km/h.
Pepito is forecast to gradually intensify over the West Philippine Sea and may reach severe tropical storm category by tomorrow afternoon or evening.
Today, Pepito will bring moderate to heavy rains over Batanes, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Pangasinan, La Union, Apayao, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, Occidental Mindoro, and Calamian Islands. Light to moderate with at times heavy rains will be experienced over Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon.
Flooding (including flash floods) and rain-induced landslides may occur during heavy or prolonged rainfall especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards. PAGASA Regional Services Divisions may issue local thunderstorm/rainfall advisories and heavy rainfall warnings as appropriate.
Pepito Tropical Wind Signal
Signal No. 2
- La Union, the northern portion of Zambales (Iba, Palauig, Masinloc, Candelaria, Santa Cruz)
- and the 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)
- Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, the rest of Pangasinan, Abra, the western portion of Kalinga (Balbalan, Pasil, Lubuagan, Tinglayan), the western portion of Mountain Province (Barlig, Sadanga, Bontoc, Sagada, Sabangan, Bauko, Tadian, Besao), the western portion of Ifugao (Banaue, Hingyon, Kiangan, Tinoc, Hungduan, Asipulo), Benguet, the the western portion of Nueva Vizcaya (Ambaguio, Kayapa, Aritao, Santa Fe), the western portion of Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Lupao, Muñoz City, Santo Domingo, Zaragoza, Aliaga, Licab, Guimba, Talugtug, Quezon, Nampicuan, Cuyapo)
- and the rest of Zambales