Dindo moves toward Japan, may exit PAR on Monday; Habagat to bring rains

Tropical Storm Dindo (international name: Hagupit) on Sunday intensified slightly as it moved toward the southern Ryukyu Islands in Japan, PAGASA said.

Dindo however is still inside the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and may exit it on Monday morning, the weather bureau reported in its 11 a.m. severe weather bulletin.

The tropical storm will not hit a landmass of the Philippines and not cause a direct impact.

However, the southwest monsoon or habagat will continue to bring occasional rains, which may be light to moderate and at times heavy, over Luzon.

Flash floods and rain-induced landslides may occur in times of heavy or prolonged rainfall especially in flood- or landslide-prone areas.

Meanwhile, a gale warning is still raised over the seaboards of Northern Luzon and the western seaboards of Central and Southern Luzon. Coastal waters in these areas will be rough to very rough, with waves reaching as high as 4.5 meters.

Small seacraft have been warned to take the necessary precautions.

At 10 a.m., Dindo was located 385 km northeast of Basco, Batanes.

It has maximum sustained winds of up to 75 km/h near the center and gustiness of up to 90 km/h.

Dindo is moving west northwest at 20 km/h.

The tropical storm is expected to intensify into a severe tropical storm by Monday morning. —KG, GMA News