Tropical storm 'In-Fa' to enter PAR by next week

MANILA, Philippines —  A severe tropical storm with international name "In-Fa" may enter the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) by next week, weather bureau PAGASA said on Friday.

At 2 a.m., the storm was located some 2,620 kilometers east of Mindanao, outside the PAR. It will be named "Marilyn" once it enters PAR.

It packs maximum sustained winds of 105 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 135 kph. It is likely to move west northwest at 20 kph.

According to the state weather bureau, In-Fa has a slim chance to make landfall. It will move closer to the country by Sunday or Monday if it will maintain its speed and movement.

However, it is expected to change its direction to west northwest to east northeast due to a high pressure area.

The storm will bring rains over the eastern section of the country once it enters.

Meanwhile, the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) will continue to bring cloudy skies with rains over the parts of eastern Visayas and Mindanao until the weekend.

The ITCZ are thick clouds from the south of Asia considered to produce low pressure areas or potential cyclones, PAGASA said.