Storm intensifies as it approaches Philippines

MANILA, Philippines - Tropical Storm In-fa intensified into a typhoon as it moved closer to the Philippine area of responsibility yesterday but is still not expected to make landfall in any part of the country, the state weather bureau said.

As of 10 a.m., the eye of In-fa was spotted at 2,510 kilometers east of Mindanao with maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 160 kph.

It was forecast to move west-northwest at 20 kph.

Based on the latest forecast of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), In-fa is likely to enter the Philippine area of responsibility by tomorrow evening or Monday morning and will be locally named Marilyn.

PAGASA said the typhoon was not expected to affect any part of the country in the next three to five days.

The typhoon is expected to be at 1,910 km east of the Visayas by this morning and at 1,400 km east of Northern Samar by tomorrow morning.

By Monday morning, it is expected to be inside the Philippine area of responsibility or at 1,260 km east of Aurora.

It is expected to be at 1,160 km east of Cagayan by Tuesday morning, and at 1,475 km east of Batanes by Wednesday morning.

Meanwhile, PAGASA said cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms will be experienced over Eastern Visayas and the regions of Caraga and Davao this weekend due to the intertropical convergence zone.

Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated thunderstorms will prevail over Metro Manila and the rest of the country.