Pepito slightly intensifies, threatens Aurora —PAGASA

Tropical Storm Pepito slightly intensified as it increased its threat over Aurora, PAGASA said Tuesday.

In its 5 p.m. severe weather bulletin, the weather bureau said Pepito is expected to make landfall over the coast of Aurora between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Tuesday.

Tropical Cyclone Wind SIgnal No. 2 is still raised in the following areas:

• 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 Quezon (General Nakar)

Meanwhile, 10 areas in Luzon were placed under TCWS 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

PAGASA said the center of Pepito was seen 110 kilometers east of Baler, Aurora at 4 p.m. with maximum sustained winds of 75 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 90 kph. It is moving west northwestward at 30 kph.

PAGASA said Pepito will move generally westward while traversing the Luzon landmass and emerge over the West Philippine Sea on Wednesday morning.

After crossing Luzon, Pepito may intensify and reach severe tropical storm category by Thursday. The tropical storm may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Thursday morning or afternoon, the weather agency added.

Hazards

PAGASA said Pepito will bring moderate to heavy rains over Central Luzon, MIMAROPA, Camarines Norte, Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Isabela, mainland Cagayan, La Union, Pangasinan and Benguet.

Meanwhile, light to moderate, with at times, heavy rains will prevail over Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Western Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula and Bangsamoro.

PAGASA advised affected residents to prepare for possible flash floods and landslides during heavy or prolonged rainfall.

High to gale-force winds will also be experienced in areas under TCWS No. 1 and 2, while high to gale-force winds with occasional gusts will prevail over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, the coastal and/or mountainous areas of mainland Cagayan, Apayao and Ilocos Norte due to the northeasterly surface wind flow.

Moreover, gale warning is in effect over the seaboards of Batanes, Cagayan, Ilocos Norte and the western seaboards of Batangas and Occidental Mindoro (including Lubang Island) due to rough to very rough seas.

The seaboards of areas under TCWS No. 1 and 2 will also experience rough to very rough seas, PAGASA said.

“Sea travel is risky over these areas, especially for those using small seacrafts,” it added.

Moderate to rough seas will also prevail over Palawan and the eastern seaboards of Southern Luzon, Eastern Visayas, Caraga and Davao Region.

“Those with small seacrafts are advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea. Inexperienced mariners should avoid navigating in these conditions,” PAGASA said.—LDF, GMA News