Inday continues to intensify, moving northwestward over Philippine Sea

Typhoon Inday intensified further as it moved northwestward over the Philippine Sea on Saturday, according to weather bureau PAGASA.
 
In its 11 p.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the center of the typhoon was spotted 380 kilometers east northeast of Itbayat, Batanes, at 10 p.m.
 
PAGASA said the typhoon was moving north northwestward at 15 kilometers per hour, with maximum sustained winds of 140 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 170 km/h.

The weather bureau said Inday remains less likely to directly bring heavy rains across the country throughout the forecast period.
 
It, however, said that its trough and the Southwest Monsoon may bring rains over extreme Northern Luzon and the western sections of Central and Southern Luzon.
 
Meanwhile, a gale warning is in effect for the northern seaboards of Northern Luzon.
 
“In the next 24 hours, Inday may bring moderate to rough seas over the eastern seaboard of Northern Luzon (1.2 to 3.0 m). These conditions may be risky for those using small seacraft,” PAGASA said.

“Mariners are advised to take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea and, if possible, avoid navigating [in] these conditions.”
 
PAGASA said the typhoon is forecast to move northwestward over the Philippine Sea until Sunday as it tracks towards the sea east of Taiwan before turning slowly north northwestward to northward on Monday.
 
The typhoon is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Tuesday. — VBL, GMA News