Ineng maintains strength, unlikely to make landfall

Tropical Storm Ineng on Thursday morning maintained its strength as it moved northwest, according to PAGASA's latest bulletin.

PAGASA said as of 3 a.m. Ineng was located 840 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora, packing 65 kph winds and gusts of up to 80 kph. It is moving west-northwest at a speed of 15 kph.

Weather specialist Ezra Bulquerin said the tropical storm could intensify further, but is less likely to make landfall.

There are no tropical cyclone wind signals raised at the moment since Ineng remains far from land, according to PAGASA weather specialist Ezra Bulquerin.

Bulquerin said Ineng is unlikely to make landfall.

PAGASA said the Bicol Region, as well as Aurora and Quezon provinces, can expect cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms due to the outer bands of the tropical storm.

Meanwhile, Pangasinan, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas and Mindoro provinces are will experience moderate to heave rains due to the effects of Habagat.

The monsoon is also expected to bring light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains over Metro Manila, Batanes, Babuyan Group of Islands, Visayas, the rest of Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and MIMAROPA.

PAGASA expects Ineng to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Saturday or Sunday.

Although the storm remains less likely to make landfall, PAGASA warned that sea travel remains risky over the eastern seaboards of Southern Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

A gale warning was also issued for the following areas amid the rough sea conditions:

• Camarines Province
• Catanduances
• Eastern coast of Albay
• Eastern coast of Sorsogon
• Northern Samar
• Leyte
• Quezon including Polilio Island
• Surigao del North
• Siargao
• Dinagat islands

PAGASA will issue a weather bulletin on Tropical Storm Ineng at 11 a.m. Thursday. —Margaret Claire Layug/KBK, GMA News