Pepito nears super typhoon strength

MANILA, Philippines – Typhoon Pepito (Man-yi) again intensified before dawn on Saturday, November 16, and was already nearing super typhoon strength.

Pepito’s maximum sustained winds increased from 155 kilometers per hour to 175 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in a briefing past 5 am on Saturday. Its gustiness is now up to 215 km/h from 190 km/h.

It is on track to strengthen into a super typhoon in the coming hours, before it makes landfall.