Signal No. 1 raised in nine areas due to Pepito

Nine areas have been placed under Signal No. 1 as Tropical Depression Pepito slightly intensified as it moves west-northwestward, PAGASA said in its latest severe weather bulletin on Monday.

Under Signal No. 1 as of 5 p.m. were:

• Isabela
• Aurora
• Quirino
• the eastern portion of Kalinga (Pinukpuk, Rizal, Tabuk City, Tanudan)
• the eastern portion of Mountain Province (Paracelis, Natonin, Barlig)
• Ifugao
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Nueva Ecija (Carranglan, Pantabangan, San Jose City, Lupao, Llanera, Rizal, Bongabon, Laur, Gabaldon, General Mamerto Natividad, Palayan City, General Tinio, Cabanatuan City, Santa Rosa, Muñoz City, Talavera, Santo Domingo, Peñaranda, Gapan City, San Leonardo)
• the northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta, Real)

The weather bureau said Pepito is forecast to make landfall over the eastern coast of Northern-Central Luzon area between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning. Pepito may emerge over the West Philippine Sea on Wednesday morning, it added.

PAGASA said Pepito may intensify into a tropical storm before it makes landfall. After crossing the landmass of Luzon, Pepito may further intensify over the West Philippine Sea and may reach severe tropical storm category by Thursday.

The center of Pepito was seen 410 kilometers east of Virac Catanduanes at 4 p.m. with maximum sustained winds of 55 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 70 kph.

Hazards affecting land

PAGASA said Pepito would bring light to moderate, with at times, heavy rains over Quezon, Bicol Region, Eastern and Central Visayas, and Mindanao on Tuesday morning.

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

Meanwhile, strong to near gale-force winds will be experienced in areas under TCWS No. 1 within 36 hours.

PAGASA said TCWS No. 1 might be raised over Benguet, the eastern portions of Abra and Pangasinan, the rest of Kalinga, Mountain Province and Nueva Ecija in the next bulletin.

Moreover, the northeasterly surface windflow partly enhanced by Pepito may bring strong-force to near gale-force winds with occasional gusts over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, the coastal and mountainous areas of northern Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon and Northern Samar.

Hazards affecting coastal waters

PAGASA said a gale warning was 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.

“Sea travel is risky over these areas, especially for those using small seacrafts,” the weather agency said.

Meanwhile, moderate to rough seas due to Pepito and the northeasterly surface windflow will be experienced in the next 24 hours over the eastern seaboards of Central Luzon, Bicol Region and the seaboards of Northern and Eastern Samar.

“Those with small seacrafts are advised to take precautionary measures while venturing out to sea,” PAGASA said. -NB, GMA News