MANILA, Philippines – Inday (Muifa) strengthened from a severe tropical storm into a typhoon over the Philippine Sea on Saturday morning, September 10.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 11 am bulletin on Saturday that Inday’s maximum sustained winds increased from 110 kilometers per hour to 120 km/h. Its gustiness is now up to 150 km/h from the previous 135 km/h.

The typhoon was located 430 kilometers east of Basco, Batanes, or 445 kilometers east of Itbayat, Batanes, moving northwest at a slightly slower 15 km/h from the previous 20 km/h.

Inday is not expected to make landfall in the Philippines and it remains “less likely” to directly bring heavy rain to the country.

But PAGASA earlier said Inday’s trough or extension could cause scattered rain showers and thunderstorms in these areas on Saturday:

• Calabarzon
• Mimaropa
• Bicol
• Bataan
• Zambales
• Western Visayas

The weather bureau added that the typhoon may enhance the southwest monsoon or hanging habagat, which could trigger rain in the western parts of Southern Luzon and the Visayas.

Meanwhile, it remains “less likely” for tropical cyclone wind signals to be raised due to Inday. But if the typhoon’s track shifts further west and/or its winds expand to cover a larger area, wind signals could be raised for parts of extreme Northern Luzon.

Inday might also cause moderate to rough seas in Batanes (waves 2 to 4 meters high) and Babuyan Islands (waves 1.5 to 3 meters high) on Saturday. Conditions may be risky for small vessels.

PAGASA expects Inday to move generally northwest over the Philippine Sea from Saturday to Monday, September 12, gradually slowing down as it heads for the sea east of Taiwan.

With Inday likely slowing down, it could become almost stationary by Tuesday, September 13.

Then by Wednesday, September 14, it may begin drifting slowly north northeast or north over the East China Sea, PAGASA said.

Inday is also expected to intensify further over the Philippine Sea until Sunday, September 11, or Monday.

“However, the slightly cooler waters east of Taiwan and the forecast slowdown period over this sea area may kick-start a weakening trend beginning on Monday or Tuesday,” added the weather bureau.

Finally, Inday could leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) and pass close to Japan’s Miyako Islands or Yaeyama Islands by late Tuesday or early Wednesday.

Inday is the Philippines’ ninth tropical cyclone for 2022 and the first for September.

PAGASA expects 7 to 11 tropical cyclones to enter or develop inside PAR from September 2022 to February 2023. Per month, these are the weather bureau’s estimates:

• September 2022 – 2 or 3
• October 2022 – 2 to 4
• November 2022 – 2 or 3
• December 2022 – 1 or 2
• January 2023 – 0 or 1
• February 2023 – 0 or 1

– Rappler.com