Typhoon Pepito weakens over West Philippine Sea but still affecting parts of Luzon

Moderate to heavy rain from Typhoon Pepito (Man-yi) may still be experienced in 11 provinces on Monday, November 18, while tropical cyclone wind signals remain in effect as of 5 am

MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Pepito (Man-yi) continued to weaken while moving over the West Philippine Sea before dawn on Monday, November 18, due to “an incoming northeasterly wind surge.”

Pepito’s maximum sustained winds are down to 130 kilometers per hour (km/h), said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in its 5 am bulletin on Monday. The typhoon’s gustiness also eased to up to 160 km/h.

Pepito was last spotted 145 kilometers west of Sinait, Ilocos Sur, at 4 am. It is moving northwest at a relatively fast 30 km/h, and at this pace, may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Monday morning or noon.

Outside PAR, it could eventually weaken into a remnant low by late Wednesday evening, November 20, or early Thursday morning, November 21, over the coast of southern China.

Pepito made landfall twice as a super typhoon — first in Panganiban, Catanduanes, at 9:40 pm on Saturday, November 16, then in Dipaculao, Aurora, at 3:20 pm on Sunday, November 17. It had maximum sustained winds of 195 km/h during its first landfall — its peak intensity — and 185 km/h during its second landfall.

From Aurora, Pepito crossed Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Benguet, and La Union, then left the landmass of Luzon on Sunday evening.

Even as Pepito is moving away from landmass, it is still bringing moderate to heavy rain to Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Benguet, Zambales, Cagayan, Aurora, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Batanes, and Isabela on Monday. Floods and landslides remain possible in high-risk or hazard-prone areas.

Tropical cyclone wind signals also remain in effect as of 5 am on Monday.

Signal No. 3

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

• northern and western parts of Ilocos Sur (Gregorio del Pilar, Magsingal, San Esteban, Banayoyo, Burgos, Candon City, Santa Lucia, Santiago, San Vicente, Santa Catalina, Lidlidda, Nagbukel, Sinait, Suyo, Sigay, San Ildefonso, Galimuyod, Vigan City, San Emilio, Cabugao, Caoayan, San Juan, Santa, Bantay, Santo Domingo, Tagudin, Santa Cruz, Santa Maria, Narvacan, Salcedo)
• northwestern part of La Union (Luna, Bangar, Balaoan, Bacnotan)
• western part of Abra (San Quintin, Langiden, Pidigan, Pilar)

Signal No. 2

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

• Ilocos Norte
• rest of Ilocos Sur
• rest of La Union
• Pangasinan
• rest of Abra
• western part of Mountain Province (Besao, Tadian, Sagada, Bauko)
• Benguet
• northern part of Zambales (Santa Cruz, Candelaria)

Signal No. 1

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

• Apayao
• Kalinga
• rest of Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• western part of Cagayan (Lasam, Santo Niño, Solana, Enrile, Tuao, Piat, Rizal, Allacapan, Ballesteros, Abulug, Pamplona, Claveria, Santa Praxedes, Sanchez-Mira)
• Nueva Vizcaya
• northern and central parts of Nueva Ecija (Bongabon, San Leonardo, Cabanatuan City, Santa Rosa, Jaen, Cuyapo, Talavera, Santo Domingo, Rizal, Zaragoza, Llanera, Guimba, Aliaga, Pantabangan, Science City of Muñoz, General Mamerto Natividad, Carranglan, Quezon, San Jose City, Lupao, Nampicuan, Talugtug, Licab, San Antonio, Palayan City, Laur)
• Tarlac
• central part of Zambales (Botolan, Iba, Cabangan, Palauig, Masinloc)

The highest tropical cyclone wind signal raised due to Pepito was Signal No. 5.

In addition, there is still a moderate to high risk of storm surges in the Ilocos Region, Isabela, and Central Luzon within 48 hours. View the map below, and check the list of specific cities and municipalities here.

For sea conditions in the next 24 hours, PAGASA issued this updated outlook:

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

• Seaboards of Batanes – waves up to 5 meters high
• Western seaboard of Ilocos Norte; seaboards of Ilocos Sur and Isabela; eastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan – waves up to 4.5 meters high

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

• Seaboard of Babuyan Islands; remaining seaboard of mainland Cagayan – waves up to 4 meters high
• Seaboards of La Union; western seaboard of Pangasinan – waves up to 3.5 meters high
• Seaboards of Aurora and northern Zambales – waves up to 3 meters high

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

• Seaboard of northern Quezon; northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Seaboards of Catanduanes, Bataan, and Lubang Islands; eastern seaboards of Albay and Sorsogon; northern and eastern seaboards of Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, and Northern Samar; remaining seaboard of Zambales – waves up to 2 meters high

The weather bureau also reiterated that wave heights in affected seaboards are “not related to storm surge heights or inundation.”

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).

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