Inday Likely to Bring Weekend Rains as it Intensifies at Sea

(UPDATE) Inday (Muifa) intensified into a severe tropical storm and is expected to bring weekend rains to Southern Luzon and the Visayas, PAGASA said Friday.

The ninth storm of the year, which is unlikely to hit the Philippine landmass, was packing maximum sustained winds of 100 kilometers per hour and 125 kph gusts and was located at 730 km east of Aparri, Cagayan at 3 p.m.

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Inday is seen to reach typhoon category over the weekend. It is likely to enhance the southwest monsoon or habagat in the coming days, before it leaves the Philippines on Tuesday for Japan.

Here's the weather forecast for the rest of the country:

Luzon

Expect rains in Southern Luzon including Bicol Region, Marinduque, Romblon, Occidental and Oriental Mindoro, and Quezon Province due to the Inday's trough.

The rest of Luzon will have fair weather in the morning with localized thunderstorms bringing rains in the afternoon or evening.

Visayas

Inday's trough will bring rains in Panay Island and Samar provinces. The rest of Visayas will have cloudy skies with rains in the afternoon.

Mindanao

Isolated rains are expected in Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao and Caraga region while the rest of Mindanao will have fair weather.