Inday slightly weakens, decelerates; Signal No. 2 raised over three areas

Typhoon Inday slightly weakened as it slowed over the Philippine Sea east of Northern Luzon with Signal No. 2 raised over three areas, according to the 11 p.m. Tropical Cyclone Bulletin posted by PAGASA.

The center of Typhoon Inday was estimated at 740 kilometers east of Calayan, Cagayan packing maximum sustained winds of 155 kilometers per hour near the center, gustiness of up to 190 km/h and moving North Northwestward at the speed of 10 km/h.

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 2 is hoisted over the following areas:

• Batanes
• the eastern portion of Babuyan Islands (Babuyan Is., Didicas Is., Camiguin Is.)
• the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana)

Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 1 is raised over the following areas:

• the rest of Babuyan Islands
• the rest of mainland Cagayan
• Isabela
• the northeastern portion of Quirino (Maddela)
• Apayao
• the northern portion of Abra (Tineg, Lagayan, Danglas, San Juan, Lagangilang, Licuan-Baay, Malibcong, Lacub, Daguioman, Dolores, La Paz)
• Kalinga
• the eastern portion of Mountain Province (Natonin, Paracelis)
• the eastern portion of Ifugao (Aguinaldo, Alfonso Lista)
• Ilocos Norte
• the northern portion of Aurora (Dilasag, Casiguran)
• the northern and central portions of Catanduanes (Pandan, Caramoran, Bagamanoc, Panganiban, Viga, Gigmoto, Baras, San Miguel)

Heavy Rainfall Outlook

Heavy rainfall outlook due to Tropical Cyclone Inday on Thursday evening up to Friday evening reached 50-100 mm in Batanes.

Heavy rainfall outlook due to Southwest Monsoon on Thursday evening up to Friday evening reached heavy to intense (100-200 mm) in Occidental Mindoro and Antique.

Moderate to Heavy (50-100 mm) outlook for the following areas: Metro Manila, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Palawan, Aklan, Capiz, Iloilo, Guimaras, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga del Sur, Lanao del Norte, and Lanao del Sur.

Severe Winds

"Minor to moderate impacts from gale-force winds are possible within any of the areas under Wind Signal No. 2 while minimal to minor impacts from strong winds are possible within any of the areas under Wind Signal No. 1," said PAGASA.

The weather bureau also said the enhanced Southwest Monsoon and the periphery of Typhoon Inday brought strong to gale-force gusts over the following areas (especially in coastal and upland areas exposed to winds) on Thursday until Saturday in most of the country.

Hazards affecting coastal waters

A Gale Warning is in effect over the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon, and the eastern seaboard of Visayas. Sea travel is risky for most types or tonnage of vessels. All mariners must remain in port or, if underway, seek shelter or safe harbor as soon as possible until winds and waves subside.

Track and Intensity outlook

PAGASA said Inday is forecast to generally move northwestward while remaining over the Philippine Sea and may pass closest to Extreme Northern Luzon between Friday evening and Saturday morning then will move toward the southern islands of Japan and may make landfall or pass close over the northern coast of Taiwan.

Inday will then exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by Saturday morning or afternoon and make landfall over the eastern coast of mainland China by Saturday evening or early Sunday morning.

"Inday is forecast to remain as a typhoon until it exits the PAR. It will then weaken into a severe tropical storm after moving further inland over mainland China," PAGASA said. — BAP, GMA News