PAGASA: Inday may exit PAR in the next few hours

Typhoon Inday slows down as it moves northward and may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) in the next 6 hours, PAGASA said on Monday evening.

In its 11 p.m. bulletin, the state weather bureau said Inday will turn more north northwestward over the East China Sea while gradually accelerating once outside PAR.

The typhoon was also forecast to maintain its strength or gradually weaken throughout the forecast period due to the cooler waters of the East China Sea and increasing vertical wind shear along its projected path.

As of 10 p.m., the center of Inday was located 515 km north northeast of Itbayat, Batanes.

It had maximum sustained winds of 140 kilometers per hour near the center, gustiness of up to 170 km/h, and central pressure of 965 hPa, while slowly moving northward.

It also sustained strong winds or higher that extended outwards up to 300 km from the center.

Rainfall and winds

Inday is unlikely to directly bring heavy rains in the country while the hoisting of Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals also remains unlikely throughout the forecast period.

However, gusty conditions reaching strong to gale-force strength may be experienced over Extreme Northern Luzon today through Wednesday due to the channeling of the typhoon circulation in the Luzon Strait.

Coastal Waters

Under the influence of Inday, a gale warning remains in effect for the seaboards of Batanes and Babuyan Islands.  -- BAP, GMA News