MANILA, Philippines (Update 1 11:40 a.m.) — Tropical Depression Ineng is still on track to develop into a tropical storm by Thursday but is less likely to make landfall, appearing to spare the country as it gathers more strength, PAGASA said in a forecast Wednesday morning.
PAGASA in its 11 a.m. severe weather bulletin added that the tropical depression is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility on Sunday, August 25.
"'Ineng' remains less likely to make landfall on any part of the country. Furthermore, this weather disturbance may intensify into a Tropical Storm within 24 hours," the state weather bureau said.
The tropical depression's strength has not changed since PAGASA's first briefing on "Ineng" today at 5 a.m. The weather disturbance still packs maximum sustained winds of 55 kph near the center and gusts of up to 70 kph.
It is slowly moving at a northwest direction and its center is located 1,155 km east of Infanta, Quezon at 10 a.m.
PAGASA said light to moderate with intermittent heavy rains are expected on Wednesday over Bicol and Eastern Visayas due to the outer rain bands of "Ineng."
Similar weather conditions are seen over Mimaropa and the rest of the Visayas, due to the southwest monsoon or habagat, and in Batanes and Babuyan Islands, due to the trough of an LPA near Taiwan.
No Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal is raised.
The Philippines, located on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, is visited by around 20 typhoons every year. — with Ian Nicolas Cigaral