Inday intensified into severe tropical storm — PAGASA

State weather bureau PAGASA said Tropical Storm Inday has intensified into a severe tropical storm on Friday morning as its trough is expected to bring rain showers in different parts of the country.

In its 11 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said raising of Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals over any land area in the country due to Inday remains unlikely. Inday is also less likely to bring heavy rains throughout the forecast period.

Moderate to rough seas of up to four meters are expected over the seaboards of Batanes and Babuyan Islands starting on Saturday.

“These conditions may be risky for those using small seacrafts. Mariners are advised to monitor for updates, take precautionary measures when venturing out to sea and, if possible, avoid navigating in these conditions during the said period,” PAGASA said.

Inday was located 800 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan with maximum sustained winds of 95 km per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 115 km/h, moving northwestward at 20 km/h.

It is expected to move generally northwestward over the Philippine Sea until Sunday before turning more north northwestward or northward over the sea east of Taiwan while decelerating, PAGASA said.

Inday may exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility early next week, according to PAGASA.

It may also further intensify until Sunday or early Monday as it moves northwestward over the Philippine Sea.

“However, the slightly cooler waters east of Taiwan and the forecast slow-down period over this sea area may result in a weakening trend beginning Monday,” PAGASA said.—AOL, GMA News