MANILA - Four more areas were placed under Storm Signal No. 3 as tropical storm Pepeng (international name: Parma) remained almost stationary over the Luzon sea in northern Luzon on Wednesday morning, weather bureau PAGASA reported.
As of 11 a.m., Pepeng was still a threat to Cagayan, Ilocos Norte and other northern Luzon provinces, packing "maximum sustained winds of 105 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center and gustiness of up to 135 kph."
It remained almost stationary and was at 110 kilometers north northwest of Laoag City as of 10 a.m. on Tuesday.
PAGASA said in its latest weather bulletin that Pepeng was expected to move and be 50 kilometers northwest of Laoag City by Wednesday morning.
It was forecast to be 100 km west southwest of Laoag City by Thursday morning, and 150 km west of Vigan City by Friday morning.
The weather bureau has hoisted Signal No. 3 over northern Cagayan, Babuyan Island, Calayan Island, Apayao and Ilocos Norte.
Signal No. 2 was raised over Ilocos Sur, Abra, Batanes Group of Islands, Kalinga and the rest of Cagayan province.
Areas under Signal No. 1 were La Union, Pangasinan, Mountain Province, Benguet, Ifugao and Isabela.
Pepeng was supposed to exit Philippine waters on Tuesday morning.
PAGASA said a new weather disturbance over the Pacific, typhoon Quedan (international name: Melor), was pulling back Pepeng.
"It's like a dumbbell effect. As Melor moves toward the north, Pepeng may move to the south. As Melor moves to the northeast, Pepeng will move to the south and to the northeast. This is the reason why Pepeng is almost stationary. It [Melor] prohibits Pepeng from moving in either direction," weather forecaster Nathaniel Cruz said.
Cruz said a high pressure area near the northernmost part of Luzon is also preventing Pepeng from moving out of the Philippines.
As of 11 a.m., Quedan was 890 kilometers east northeast of Basco, Batanes, packing center winds of 185 kph and gusts of up to 220 kph.
It was heading towards Japan and will not affect any part of the country, the weather bureau said.