Weather disturbance codenamed “Inday” has intensified into a typhoon as it moved northwestward over the Philippine Sea east of extreme Northern Luzon, Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) bureau said on Saturday.
In its 11 a.m. bulletin, the weather bureau said Typhoon Inday was last located at 445 kilometers east of Itbayat, Batanes while moving northwestward at 20 kilometers per hour (kph).
It has maximum sustained winds of 120 kph and gustiness of up to 150 kph.
While Inday remained less likely to directly bring heavy rains to the country, its trough was expected to deliver heavy rain showers during thunderstorms over the eastern section of Southern Luzon and western portion of Central Luzon, PAGASA said.
PAGASA also said the tropical cyclone may also enhance the southwest monsoon or “habagat” which could bring rains over the western sections of Southern Luzon and the Visayas.
Although hoisting of Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals remain less likely at this time, PAGASA said further westward shift in Inday’s projected trajectory an expansion may result in raising storm alerts over portions of extreme Northern Luzon.
Inday is seen to intensify further while moving generally northwestward over the Philippine sea on Sunday through Monday.
It may exit the country’s weather monitoring area by late Tuesday or early Wednesday, the weather bureau said.
