'Inday' now a storm; another cyclone spotted

MANILA, Philippines - Tropical Cyclone "Inday" has intensified into a storm as it is expected to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), the state weather bureau said Thursday morning.

In its latest weather bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the center of the storm was located at 580 kilometers northeast of Basco, Batanes at 4 a.m. today.

Inday is packing maximum sustained winds of 75 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 90 kph while moving north northwest at 17 kph.

Meteorological agencies are also monitoring another weather system, Tropical Storm "Halong," which has been located near the PAR.

According to the Hawaii-based Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), Halong was last spotted at 225 kilometers northwest of Guam, moving west northwest at 14 kph.

Halong bears maximum sustained winds of 83 kph and gusts of up to 101 kph.

Based on the forecast of the JTWC, Halong will not directly hit the Philippines.

Meantime, PAGASA said Metro Manila, Central Luzon, CALABARZON, Bicol region, Cagayan valley and Western Visayas will experience occasional rains.

MIMAROPA will have cloudy skies with light to moderate rainshowers and thunderstorms. The rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

Moderate to strong winds blowing from the southwest will prevail over Luzon and Visayas and winds coming from the south to southwest will prevail over Mindanao.

The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be moderate to rough.