Part of Camarines Sur also under Signal No. 5 due to Super Typhoon Pepito

MANILA, Philippines – Aside from Catanduanes, the northeastern portion of Camarines Sur was also placed under Signal No. 5 due to Super Typhoon Pepito (Man-yi) late Saturday afternoon, November 16.

Pepito was already 120 kilometers east of Virac, Catanduanes, as of 4 pm on Saturday. The super typhoon is still moving west northwest at 20 kilometers per hour (km/h).

It maintained its strength, with maximum sustained winds of 195 km/h and gustiness of up to 240 km/h.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Pepito remains “more likely” to make landfall in Catanduanes on Saturday evening or early Sunday morning, November 17.

Tropical cyclone wind signals are in effect for the following areas as of 5 pm on Saturday:

Signal No. 5

Typhoon-force winds (185 km/h), extreme threat to life and property

• Catanduanes
• northeastern part of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Garchitorena, Lagonoy, Presentacion)

Signal No. 4

Typhoon-force winds (118 to 184 km/h), significant to severe threat to life and property

• Camarines Norte
• northern and southeastern parts of Camarines Sur (Siruma, Tinambac, Goa, San Jose, Tigaon, Sagñay, Calabanga)
• northeastern part of Albay (Tabaco City, Tiwi, Malinao, Malilipot, Bacacay, Rapu-Rapu)

Signal No. 3

Storm-force winds (89 to 117 km/h), moderate to significant threat to life and property

• Polillo Islands
• northern and eastern parts of mainland Quezon (Calauag, Guinayangan, Tagkawayan, Buenavista, Lopez, Quezon, Perez, Alabat, Gumaca, Plaridel, Atimonan, Mauban, Real, General Nakar, Infanta)
• rest of Camarines Sur
• rest of Albay
• northern part of Sorsogon (Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon City, Gubat, Barcelona, Castilla, Casiguran, Pilar, Donsol)
• eastern and central parts of Northern Samar (Palapag, Laoang, Mapanas, Gamay, Lapinig, Catubig, Pambujan, Las Navas, Biri, Bobon, Catarman, Mondragon, San Roque, Silvino Lobos, Lope de Vega, San Jose)
• northern part of Eastern Samar (San Policarpo, Arteche, Oras, Jipapad)

Signal No. 2

Gale-force winds (62 to 88 km/h), minor to moderate threat to life and property

• southern part of Isabela (Dinapigue, Cordon, Ramon, Alicia, Cauayan City, Angadanan, Santiago City, San Isidro, Echague, Jones, San Agustin, San Guillermo, San Mariano, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Palanan)
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• La Union
• Pangasinan
• Aurora
• Nueva Ecija
• Bulacan
• Tarlac
• Pampanga
• Zambales
• Bataan
• Metro Manila
• Cavite
• Rizal
• rest of Quezon
• Laguna
• Marinduque
• rest of Sorsogon
• Burias Island
• Ticao Island
• central part of Eastern Samar (Dolores, Maslog, Can-avid, Taft, Sulat, San Julian, Borongan City)
• northern part of Samar (Matuguinao, Calbayog City, Santa Margarita, San Jorge, San Jose de Buan, Tarangnan, Motiong, Gandara, Jiabong, Catbalogan City, Paranas, Hinabangan, San Sebastian, Pagsanghan)
• rest of Northern Samar

Signal No. 1

Strong winds (39 to 61 km/h), minimal to minor threat to life and property

• mainland Cagayan
• rest of Isabela
• Apayao
• Kalinga
• Abra
• Mountain Province
• Ilocos Norte
• Ilocos Sur
• Batangas
• northern part of Occidental Mindoro (Sablayan, Santa Cruz, Mamburao, Abra de Ilog, Paluan) including Lubang Islands
• northern part of Oriental Mindoro (Puerto Galera, San Teodoro, Naujan, Baco, Victoria, Socorro, Pinamalayan, Bansud, Gloria, Pola, Calapan City, Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay)
• Romblon
• rest of Masbate
• rest of Eastern Samar
• rest of Samar
• Biliran
• northern and central parts of Leyte (Tunga, Pastrana, San Miguel, Matag-ob, Tolosa, Palo, Calubian, Leyte, Mayorga, Julita, Carigara, Babatngon, Dagami, Jaro, San Isidro, Santa Fe, Albuera, Villaba, La Paz, Palompon, MacArthur, Tabontabon, Tanauan, Merida, Ormoc City, Isabel, Dulag, Capoocan, Alangalang, Burauen, Tabango, Tacloban City, Kananga, Barugo, Abuyog, Javier, Baybay City, Mahaplag)
• northeastern part of Southern Leyte (Silago)
• northernmost part of Cebu (Daanbantayan, Medellin) including Bantayan Islands
• northernmost part of Iloilo (Carles)
• northern part of Dinagat Islands (Loreto, Tubajon)

PAGASA also released an updated rainfall advisory at 5 pm on Saturday. The weather bureau reminded the public that rain from Pepito may trigger floods and landslides.

Saturday afternoon, November 16, to Sunday afternoon, November 17

• Intense to torrential rain (more than 200 millimeters): Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Albay, Camarines Norte
• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Quezon, Sorsogon, Northern Samar
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Aurora, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna, Rizal, Bulacan, Marinduque, Samar, Eastern Samar, Leyte, Biliran, Masbate

Sunday afternoon, November 17, to Monday afternoon, November 18

• Intense to torrential rain (more than 200 mm): Quezon, Aurora, Rizal, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Nueva Ecija, Benguet, Pangasinan
• Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): La Union, Tarlac, Bulacan, Pampanga, Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, Cavite, Laguna, Camarines Norte
• Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Marinduque, Camarines Sur, Batangas, Cagayan, Isabela, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Kalinga, Abra, Ilocos Sur

In addition, there is a high risk of “life-threatening” storm surges “with peak heights exceeding 3 meters” in the Ilocos Region (western coast), Isabela, Central Luzon, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Marinduque, Bicol, Northern Samar, Samar, Eastern Samar, and Biliran within 48 hours. View the map below, and check the list of specific cities and municipalities here.

PAGASA expects Pepito to move generally west northwest within the next three days before turning generally west to west southwest from Monday afternoon, November 18, to early Thursday morning, November 21.

While Pepito appears likely to make landfall in Catanduanes, PAGASA is not ruling out landfall in Camarines Sur or Albay — also on Saturday evening or early Sunday morning — if Pepito “moves slightly south” of its current forecast track, or landfall in Quezon or Aurora on Sunday afternoon or evening if Pepito “moves slightly north.”

“Regardless of the landfall point,” Pepito is projected to pass over or near Bicol, Central Luzon, Quezon, and southern portions of the Ilocos Region and Cordillera Administrative Region during the weekend, before emerging over the West Philippine Sea on Sunday evening or Monday morning.

All areas under rainfall, wind, and storm surge warnings must be prepared for Pepito, not just the possible landfall sites.

In terms of strength, PAGASA said Pepito continues to approach its peak intensity. The weather bureau also reiterated: “With radar imagery showing signs of eyewall replacement, the intensity of Pepito may begin to maintain or slightly decrease in the…coming hours. However, if the eyewall replacement finishes prior to its passage over Catanduanes, the super typhoon will resume intensifying.”

Eyewall replacement occurs “when a second concentric eyewall forms around the original and eventually overtakes it,” according to the World Meteorological Organization.

PAGASA added that Pepito is likely to make landfall in Catanduanes as a super typhoon “at or near peak intensity,” and possibly as a super typhoon or typhoon in the Quezon-Aurora area.

There will be “significant weakening” when Pepito crosses mainland Luzon on Sunday. However, it is still likely to remain a typhoon until it reaches the West Philippine Sea, which means it will still be a powerful tropical cyclone.

Pepito might leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Monday.

For sea conditions in the next 24 hours, below is PAGASA’s latest outlook.

Up to very rough, high, or very high seas (travel is risky for all vessels)

• Northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes – waves up to 14 meters high
• Northern seaboard of Camarines Norte; seaboards of Camarines Norte and Aurora – waves up to 12 meters high
• Northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands – waves up to 10 meters high
• Seaboard of northern Quezon; northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Samar – waves up to 9 meters high
• Seaboard of Isabela; remaining seaboard of Catanduanes; eastern seaboards of Camarines Sur, Albay, and Sorsogon – waves up to 7 meters high
• Eastern seaboards of mainland Cagayan and Eastern Samar – waves up to 5 meters high

Up to rough seas (small vessels should not venture out to sea)

• Eastern seaboard of Quezon including the rest of Polillo Islands – waves up to 4 meters high
• Seaboards of Batanes and Babuyan Islands – waves up to 3.5 meters high
• Seaboards of Pangasinan, La Union, Marinduque, and Romblon; remaining seaboards of Quezon, Northern Samar, and Bicol; eastern seaboard of Oriental Mindoro – waves up to 3 meters high

Up to moderate seas (small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible)

• Seaboards of Zambales; western seaboard of Bataan; eastern seaboard of Dinagat Islands; remaining seaboard of Ilocos Region – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Seaboards of Metro Manila, Aklan, Antique, Samar, Biliran, northeastern Iloilo, northern Negros Occidental, and northern Cebu including Bantayan Islands; northern and eastern seaboards of Leyte; eastern seaboards of Southern Leyte, Surigao del Sur, and Davao Oriental; northern and western seaboards of Dinagat Islands; remaining seaboards of Bataan and Calabarzon; northern seaboards of Occidental Mindoro including Lubang Islands and Oriental Mindoro – waves up to 2 meters high

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Pepito is the Philippines’ 16th tropical cyclone for 2024. It is also the fourth tropical cyclone for November alone, after Marce (Yinxing), Nika (Toraji), and Ofel (Usagi).

Ofel, briefly a super typhoon at its peak, weakened into a tropical depression on Saturday afternoon ahead of its expected landfall in Taiwan, which is within PAR.

Ofel was located 195 kilometers northwest of Itbayat, Batanes, at 4 pm on Saturday, slowly moving east southeast. Its maximum sustained winds are down to 45 km/h, while its gustiness is just up to 60 km/h.

Ofel has no more effect on any part of the country. It is expected to cross the southern part of Taiwan and may emerge over the sea east of Taiwan within 12 hours, and also become a remnant low during the same period.

Counting from October 21 to present — starting with Kristine (Trami) and Leon (Kong-rey) — Pepito is already the country’s sixth tropical cyclone in less than a month. – Rappler.com