Pepito to make landfall this weekend, may become super typhoon

Track and forecast intensity of Severe Tropical Storm Pepito as of 11 p.m. on Thursday, November 14, 2024. (Photo by Pagasa)

MANILA, Philippines — Severe Tropical Storm Pepito (international name: Man-yi), which entered the Philippine area of responsibility on Thursday evening, is forecast to make landfall on Saturday or Sunday, the state weather bureau said.

In its 11 p.m. weather bulletin Thursday, Pagasa said that due to the limit of the forecast confidence cone, “the landfall may also shift within the range of the forecast confidence cone from the eastern coast of Central Luzon to the eastern coast of Eastern Visayas.”

Pagasa also located Pepito 995 kilometers east of Eastern Visayas, moving westward at 35 kilometers per hour (kph) and carrying a maximum wind speed of 100 kph and gustiness of up to 125 kph.

READ: Pepito enters PAR, may become a typhoon

Pepito is forecast to intensify into a typhoon by Friday and may develop into a super typhoon by Saturday afternoon where “rapid intensification is likely.”

“Although it is too early to exactly determine the specific areas to be affected by certain hazards and due to the shifting track forecast of Pepito, most areas in Luzon and Eastern Visayas are at risk of heavy rainfall, severe wind, and, possibly, storm surge inundation from Pepito which may cause considerable impacts,” Pagasa added.

READ: Man-yi may affect Visayas this weekend

Meanwhile, a gale warning is up in the northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Luzon and the eastern seaboards of Central Luzon.

The following coastal areas are expected to experience varying sea conditions, ranging from moderate to very rough seas:

Very rough to high seas:

• Up to 8.0 m: Seaboards of Batanes and Babuyan Islands
• Up to 7.0 m: Northern seaboards of Ilocos Norte and mainland Cagayan
• Up to 5.5 m: Eastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan

Rough seas:

• Up to 4.0 m: Seaboards of Isabela and northern Aurora

Moderate seas:

• Up to 2.5 m:
  • Western seaboard of Ilocos Norte
  • Northern and eastern seaboards of Catanduanes and Northern Samar
  • Eastern seaboards of Albay, Sorsogon, and Eastern Samar
  • Dinagat Islands
  • Surigao del Norte, including Siargao and Bucas Grande Islands
  • Surigao del Sur
  • Davao Oriental

Slightly moderate seas:

• Up to 2.0 m:
  • Remaining seaboard of Aurora
  • Eastern seaboard of Quezon, including Polillo Islands
  • Seaboard of Camarines Norte
  • Northern and eastern seaboards of Camarines Sur
  • Remaining seaboard of Catanduanes

READ: Ofel continues to weaken as it approaches Babuyan Islands

A storm surge warning may also be hoisted over the coastal waters of the following areas in the next few hours:

• Aurora
• Quezon
• Bicol Region
• Eastern Visayas