'Quedan' enters RP as 'Pepeng' lingers

MANILA, Philippines - A new typhoon entered the country yesterday and might pull back tropical storm “Pepeng” (international name “Parma,” which was earlier a typhoon) to northern Luzon, the weather bureau said yesterday.

Administrator Prisco Nilo of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said one of the models showed that Quedan (international name “Melor”) would drag Pepeng up toward Okinawa, Japan.

“If that happens, Pepeng would cross again northern Luzon and possibly make landfall over Ilocos Norte and Batanes,” he said.

It is still possible that Pepeng would further intensify while over the South China Sea, he added.

Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon would not be directly affected by Pepeng and Quedan, Nilo said.

Chief government forecaster Nathaniel Cruz said typhoon Quedan was pushing west but does not pose a direct threat to northern Luzon.

Stormy weather would continue to prevail over northern Luzon in the next three days, he added.

Cruz said Quedan, packing maximum sustained winds of 205 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 250 kph was moving west northwest at 26 kph.

However, Quedan was not expected to hit any part of the country as it would move toward southern Japan tomorrow, he added.

Cruz said Pepeng regained strength from 95 kph at 11 a.m. yesterday to 105 kph at 4 p.m. after “interaction” with the powerful Quedan, which is located 1,130 kilometers east southeast of Basco, Batanes.

“Pepeng will remain stationary for the next three days,” he said.

Cruz said Pepeng was not expected to make another landfall but will continue to dump heavy rains in northern Luzon.

The storm was located 143 miles (230 kilometers) off northern Laoag city, packing winds of 59 mph (95 kph) and gusts of up to 75 mph (120 kph), he added.

Nilo said storm signal No. 3 was again raised over Ilocos Norte as Pepeng remained stationary off Laoag City.

Signal No. 2 remained hoisted over Ilocos Sur, Abra, Apayao, and northern Cagayan (including Calayan and Babuyan Group of Islands and Batanes Group of Islands), he added.

Signal no. 1 was still up in La Union, Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao, Kalinga, and rest of Cagayan, Nilo said.

Pepeng was already moving out of the country on Sunday when it was blocked by a high-pressure area off Hong Kong, causing it to remain stationary for the last 48 hours.

Pepeng is expected to be 220 kms north northwest of Laoag City this afternoon; at 210 kms northwest of Laoag City tomorrow afternoon; and at 260 kms north northwest of Vigan City by Thursday afternoon.

Quedan is predicted to be at 780 kms east northeast of Basco this afternoon; at 1,080 kms northeast of Basco or 350 kms east northeast of Okinawa, Southern Japan by Wednesday afternoon.

In the Visayas and Mindanao, Pagasa has forecast good weather in the next few days.

In Metro Manila and other areas in Luzon, partly cloudy skies with isolated light rains would continue to prevail, according to the weather bureau.