Pepito weakens into typhoon, but Signal No. 4 still up in many areas

MANILA, Philippines — Super Typhoon Pepito (international name: Man-yi) weakened into a typhoon on Sunday night, but Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 4 remains hoisted over many areas as the cyclone is still strong.

In an 8 p.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Pepito was last spotted in the vicinity of Santa Fe, Nueva Vizcaya, moving west northwestward at 25 kilometers per hour (kph).

It was packing maximum sustained winds of 165 kph near its center, with gusts of up to 275 kph.

Due to these developments, the state weather bureau has lifted Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 5 in Aurora, Quirino, and Nueva Vizcaya.

However, the following areas remain under TCWS No. 4, where winds stronger than 118 kph up to 184 kph may be expected in the next 12 hours:

• Central portion of Aurora (Dinalungan, Dipaculao, Baler, Maria Aurora)
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Southern portion of Ifugao (Kiangan, Lamut, Tinoc, Asipulo, Lagawe)
• Benguet
• Southern portion of Ilocos Sur (Alilem, Sugpon, Suyo, Santa Cruz, Tagudin, City of Candon, Santa Lucia, Salcedo, Galimuyod, Cervantes, Sigay)
• La Union
• Northern and eastern portions of Pangasinan (Sison, Tayug, Binalonan, San Manuel, Asingan, San Quintin, Santa Maria, Natividad, San Nicolas, Balungao, Pozorrubio, Laoac, San Jacinto, San Fabian, Manaoag, City of Urdaneta, Rosales, Umingan, Mangaldan, Mapandan, Villasis, Santo Tomas, Dagupan City, Anda, Bolinao, Bani, City of Alaminos, Lingayen, Binmaley, Sual, Labrador)
• Northern portion of Nueva Ecija (Bongabon, Pantabangan, Rizal, Lupao, San Jose City, Carranglan, Science City of Muñoz, Talugtug, Cuyapo, Llanera)

The state weather bureau hoisted TCWS No. 3 over the following areas:

• Southern portion of Isabela (San Agustin, Jones, Echague, San Guillermo, Angadanan, Alicia, San Mateo, Ramon, San Isidro, City of Santiago, Cordon, Dinapigue, Roxas, Aurora, Cabatuan, City of Cauayan, Luna, San Mariano, Benito Soliven, Naguilian, Reina Mercedes, San Manuel, Burgos)
• The rest of Ifugao
• Mountain Province
Southern portion of Kalinga (Pasil, Tanudan, Lubuagan, Tinglayan)
• Southern portion of Abra (Tubo, Luba, Pilar, Villaviciosa, San Isidro, Pidigan, Langiden, San Quintin, Bangued, Manabo, Boliney, Peñarrubia, Bucloc, Sallapadan, Bucay)
• The rest of Ilocos Sur
• The rest of Pangasinan
• Northern and eastern portions of Tarlac (Paniqui, La Paz, Moncada, City of Tarlac, Gerona, Pura, San Clemente, Santa Ignacia, Victoria, Camiling, Concepcion, Ramos, San Manuel, Anao)
• The rest of Nueva Ecija
• The rest of Aurora

Areas under TCWS No. 3 may experience wind speeds greater than 89 kph up to 117 kph within the next 18 hours, according to Pagasa.

Meanwhile, the weather bureau placed the following areas under TCWS No. 2:

• The rest of Isabela
• Southwestern portion of mainland Cagayan (Enrile, Tuao, Solana, Tuguegarao City, Piat, Rizal)
• The rest of Kalinga
• Southern portion of Apayao (Conner, Kabugao)
• The rest of Abra
• Ilocos Norte
• Zambales
• The rest of Tarlac
• Northern portion of Bataan (Orani, Abucay, Hermosa, Samal, Dinalupihan)
• Pampanga
• Bulacan
• Metro Manila
• Rizal
• Northeastern portion of Laguna (Kalayaan, Paete, Pangil, Pakil, Siniloan, Famy, Santa Maria, Mabitac)
• Northern portion of Quezon (General Nakar, Infanta, Real) including Polillo Islands

Areas under TCWS No. 2 may experience winds of greater than 62 kph up to 88 kph in the next 24 hours.

The following areas were placed under TCWS No. 1:

• The rest of mainland Cagayan
• The rest of Apayao
• The rest of Bataan
• Cavite
• The rest of Laguna
• Batangas
• Central portion of Quezon (Calauag, Pitogo, Lucena City, Pagbilao, Tiaong, Lopez, Guinayangan, Unisan, Plaridel, Quezon, San Antonio, Alabat, Candelaria, Lucban, Sampaloc, Padre Burgos, Sariaya, City of Tayabas, Macalelon, Mauban, Dolores, Perez, Agdangan, Gumaca, Atimonan, Tagkawayan)
• Lubang Islands
• Western portion of Camarines Norte (Santa Elena, Paracale, Labo, Vinzons, Jose Panganiban, Capalonga)

Winds ranging from 39 to 61 kph may affect areas under TCWS No. 1 within the next 36 hours, Pagasa said.

READ: Walang pasok: Class suspensions on Nov. 18 due to Pepito