MANILA, Philippines — The low pressure area monitored east of northern Cagayan has intensified into a tropical depression Wednesday morning, state weather bureau PAGASA said.
The tropical depression has been named “Inday”—the ninth tropical cyclone this year.
In its 11 a.m. bulletin, PAGASA said the tropical depression was last spotted 660 kilometers east southeast of Basco, Batanes. It packs maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 65 kph.
“Inday” is expected to move east at 15 kilometers per hour.
The state weather bureau said that “Inday” may strengthen into a tropical storm in the next 24 hours but it may not make a landfall.
Although no tropical cyclone warning signal has been raised, the habagat boosted by the tropical depression will bring intermittent moderate to occasional heavy monsoon rains over Ilocos region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Zambales, Bataan, Pampanga and Bulacan.
Meanwhile, residents of Metro Manila, Cagayan Valley, Cavite, Batangas, Laguna and the rest of Central Luzon will experience scattered light to moderate with at times heavy rains.
Sea travel is dangerous over westerns seaboard of Central and Southern Luzon due to rough to very rough seas associated with the southwest monsoon.
“Inday” comes on the heels of Tropical Storm Henry (international name: Son-Tinh), which left the Philippine Area of Responsibility Tuesday.
Forecast positions
- Thursday morning: 805 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes
- Friday morning: 845 kilometers east northeast of Basco, Batanes
- Saturday morning: 790 kilometers northeast of Basco, Batanes
- Sunday morning: 965 kilometers north of Basco, Batanes
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