TYPHOON “Inday” gained strength as it was poised to exit the Philippine area of responsibility tomorrow.
In a bulletin issued at 5 p.m. yesterday, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said Inday was packing maximum sustained winds of 165 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 205 kph. On Saturday night, Inday’s maximum sustained winds was only 140 kph and its gustiness was only 170 kph.
As of 4 p.m. yesterday, Inday was some 360 km east northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, moving north northwestward at 10 kph.
Inday, then a tropical depression, entered country last Wednesday. It intensified into a tropical storm on Thursday, to severe tropical storm on Friday, and to typhoon on Saturday.
PAGASA said Inday was forecast to further intensify through Monday,
“Afterwards, the slightly cooler waters east of Taiwan and the forecast slow-down period over this sea area may result in a weakening trend beginning late tomorrow (Monday) or on Tuesday,” it added.
It said Inday is unlikely to directly bring rains to parts of the country but its outermost rain bands and the southwest monsoon, which it enhanced, may bring rain showers and thunderstorms to Batanes and in the western sections of Central and Southern Luzon.
“On the track forecast, Inday may exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Tuesday morning or afternoon,” PAGASA said.
“Outside the PAR, Inday will move slowly northward while moving over the East China Sea and begin to gradually accelerate north northwestward on Wednesday afternoon,” it added.
PAGASA said it is not likely to raise signal warning in any part of the country as of yesterday. But it said signal warnings may be raised in portions of northern Luzon if Inday shifts to a westward movement.
