MANILA - Tropical Depression Quinta is forecast to intensify into a tropical storm and may even reach severe tropical storm category before its expected landfall over Bicol region between Sunday evening and Monday morning, weather bureau PAGASA said.

In a weather bulletin issued at 11 a.m., Quinta was last spotted 660 kilometers east of Catarman, Northern Samar at 10 a.m., packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 70 kph.

• Tropical depression Quinta barrels toward Bicol, Eastern Visayas

Quinta, which comes just days after Tropical Storm Pepito caused flooding and heavy rains in parts of the country, is moving west northwest at 30 kph, said PAGASA.

Tropical cyclone wind signal No. 1 is hoisted over Catanduanes where strong to near gale-force winds will be experienced within 36 hours.

More areas are expected to be under signal number one in the next bulletin.

Gale warning is in effect over the seaboards of Northern Luzon, and the western seaboards of Central Luzon, Batangas, Occidental Mindoro, and northern Palawan including Calamian and Kalayaan Islands due to rough to very rough seas as high as 2.8 meters to 6 meters.

Sea travel is risky over these areas, especially for small seacraft.

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Meanwhile, the troughs of both Quinta and severe tropical storm Saudel (Pepito), which is now outside the Philippine Area of Responsibility, will bring light to moderate with at times heavy rains over Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Bangsamoro, Northern Mindanao, and Caraga.

PAGASA added that a stationary front extending over extreme northern Luzon associated with the northeasterly surge will bring moderate to heavy rains over Cagayan Valley and the northern portions of Apayao and Ilocos Norte.

Visit the ABS-CBN Weather Center for more updates.