Typhoon Inday is maintaining its power while tracking toward Japan’s Sakishima Islands, with the state weather bureau PAGASA reporting that the storm is on the verge of leaving the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR).
Located 500 kilometers northeast of Itbayat, Batanes as of 3 a.m. Saturday, the typhoon is traveling northwest at 20 kph. It packs maximum sustained winds of 140 kph and gusts of up to 170 kph. Forecasters expect Inday to exit the PAR by Saturday morning, traverse the East China Sea, and eventually slam into eastern mainland China.
Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 2 remains hoisted over the northern portion of Batanes, while Signal No. 1 is still active across the rest of Batanes, the Babuyan Islands, and northern Cagayan—covering Santa Ana, Gonzaga, Santa Teresita, Buguey, Camalaniugan, Aparri, Ballesteros, Abulug, Pamplona, Sanchez-Mira, Claveria, and Santa Praxedes. Heavy storms are expected to buffet Batanes, while parts of Cagayan face rain and strong gusts.
Meanwhile, the southwest monsoon (habagat) intensified by the typhoon will trigger periodic rains over Metro Manila, MIMAROPA, Western Visayas, the Negros Island Region, as well as La Union, Pangasinan, Benguet, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, and Batangas.
Scattered rains and thunderstorms will also hit the Cordillera region, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Isabela, Zamboanga Peninsula, BARMM, SOCCSKSARGEN, and the rest of Luzon and Visayas.
Mainland Mindanao will experience partly cloudy skies with localized thunderstorms. PAGASA has warned mariners and coastal communities nationwide of moderate to rough seas and strong winds.