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MANILA, Philippines – The low-pressure area (LPA) monitored east of Catanduanes has become the Pepito tropical depression at 2:00 a.m. on Monday (October 19), according to the Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration of Philippines (PAGASA).
According to the PAGASA bulletin at 5:00 am, TD Pepito will move to the west northwest or northwest today (October 19).
It is expected to turn further west on Tuesday (Oct 20) towards the northern Luzon-Central Luzon area.
On the forecast track, the tropical cyclone is forecast to make landfall over the east coast of the northern Luzon-Central Luzon area on Tuesday evening or early Wednesday morning.
It will likely remain a tropical depression for the next 36 hours and may make landfall as a tropical depression or a weak tropical storm.
After crossing the Luzon landmass, TD Pepito may further intensify over the Western Philippine Sea and may reach a severe tropical storm category on Friday.
On Monday, light to moderate and occasionally heavy rains can be experienced over Quezon, Bicol Region, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Bangasamoro, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao Occidental, Sultan Kudarat, Cotabato Sur and Sarangani. Floods (including flash floods) and rain-induced landslides can occur during heavy or prolonged rains, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazards.
PAGASA Regional Service Divisions may issue local thunderstorm / rain advisories and heavy rain advisories, as appropriate.
Currently, there is no tropical cyclone wind signal in effect, according to PAGASA.
However, the northeast surface wind flow, partly reinforced by the tropical depression, can bring strong near-hurricane-force winds with occasional gusts over Batanes, the Babuyan Islands and the northern coastal and mountainous areas of Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Cagayan, Isabela, Aurora. , Quezón, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Albay, Sorsogon and Northern Samar.
Therefore, the gale warning is raised over the coastlines of Batanes, Cagayán, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and Isabela due to rough to very rough seas (2.8 to 4.5 m) caused by surface wind flow from the northeast.
This means that sea travel is risky in these areas, especially for those using small boats.
At 4:00 am today, the center of TD Pepito was estimated at 820 km east of Virac, Catanduanes.
It is moving west-northwest at 20 km / h with maximum sustained winds of 45 km / h near the center and gusts of up to 55 km / h.
TD Pepito is the third cyclone to enter the Philippines Area of Responsibility (PAR) this October and on the 16th of this year.
