Pepito now a super typhoon
Typhoon Pepito intensified into a super typhoon Saturday morning as it continued to threaten southern Luzon and Eastern Visayas, the state weather bureau said.
Pagasa said that Pepito was reclassified a super typhoon at 8 a.m.
It now packs winds of 185 kph with gusts up to 230 kph. Pepito was last spotted 215 km east of Catarman, Northern Samar.
It was moving northwestward at 25 kilometers per hour, an earlier Pagasa bulletin said.
Pepito initially had sustained winds of 175 kph near the center but it has since breached the 185 kph threshold to become a super typhoon.
According to Pagasa's 8 a.m. weather bulletin, Pepito is likely to make landfall in Catanduanes tonight or early morning tomorrow, November 17.
The weather bureau is also not ruling out a landfall scenario over the eastern coast of Camarines Sur, Albay, or Sorsogon during the same time frame, or along the eastern coast of Quezon or Aurora tomorrow afternoon or evening.
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Ofel continues to weaken as it moves over the sea west of Taiwan.
It was estimated to be 240 km northwest of Itbayat, Batanes and moving slowly north northeast.
Ofel is not expected to bring significant rainfall to the Philippines.
WIND SIGNALS UP IN AREAS OF LUZON, VISAYAS, MINDANAO
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 3 is up in the following areas, which can expect winds of greater than 89 kph up to 117 kph within 18 hours:
Catanduanes Eastern portion of Albay (Rapu-Rapu, Bacacay Santo Domingo, City of Tabaco, Malilipot, Tiwi, Malinao) Eastern portion of Camarines Sur (Caramoan, Presentacion San Jose, Garchitorena, Lagonoy, Sagñay, Tigaon, Goa, Tinambac, Siruma) Easternmost portion of Sorsogon (Prieto Diaz) Eastern portion of Northern Samar (Palapag, Laoang, Mapanas, Gamay, Lapinig, Catubig, Pambujan) and the northernmost portion of Eastern Samar (San Policarpo, Arteche, Oras, Jipapad)Signal No. 2 has been raised in parts of Luzon and Visayas that may experience winds of up to 88 kph in the next 24 hours:
Luzon
Rest of Camarines Sur Rest of Albay, Rest of Sorsogon Ticao Island Camarines Norte Northeastern portion of Quezon (Perez, Alabat, Quezon, Calauag, Guinayangan, Tagkawayan), including Pollilo IslandsVisayas
Northern portion of Eastern Samar (Dolores, Maslog, Can-Avid, Taft, Sulat, San Julian, City of Borongan) Northern portion of Samar (Matuguinao, Calbayog City, Santa Margarita, San Jorge, San Jose de Buan, Tarangnan, Motiong, Gandara, Jiabong, City of Catbalogan, Paranas, Hinabangan, San Sebastian, Pagsanghan) Rest of Northern SamarSignal No. 1 has also been raised over the following areas:
Luzon
Rest of Masbate, including Burias Island Marinduque Romblon Rest of Quezon Laguna Rizal Cavite Batangas Metro Manila Zambales Bataan Bulacan Pampanga Tarlac Nueva Ecija Aurora Quirino Nueva Vizcaya Isabela Mainland Cagayan Pangasinan La Union Ilocos Sur Ilocos Norte Abra Apayao Kalinga Mountain Province Ifugao BenguetVisayas
Rest of Eastern Samar Rest of Samar Biliran Northern and central portions 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, City of Baybay, Mahaplag) Northeastern portion of Southern Leyte (Silago) Northernmost portion of Cebu (Daanbantayan, Medellin), including Bantayan Islands Northernmost portion of Iloilo (Carles)Mindanao
Northern portion of Dinagat Islands (Loreto, Tubajon)
These areas may expect winds of up to 61 kph in the next 36 hours.
