‘Bising’ weakens; out Sunday

Typhoon “Bising” was downgraded to a severe tropical storm on Friday afternoon after it significantly weakened as it moved farther away from Luzon, the state weather service said.

As of Friday afternoon, the weather disturbance was spotted 825 kilometers east-northeast of Basco, Batanes, moving northeast at 15 km per hour. Bising’s winds and gusts also weakened to 110 kph and 135 kph, respectively.

Its cloud bands were no longer affecting the country, so weather conditions are expected to improve on Saturday.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said Bising was expected to further weaken into a tropical storm on Saturday, and exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on late Saturday or early Sunday.

On Monday, Bising is forecast to be an extratropical cyclone outside of PAR, Raymond Ordinario, weather specialist of Pagasa, said in the 5 p.m. update.

Fair weather, with a chance of isolated rain showers, is expected to prevail in Luzon. The Visayas and Mindanao are also forecast to experience fair weather but with isolated rain showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon or evening.

While Bising did not make landfall, an estimated 300,000 people were affected in Cagayan and Bicol regions, as well as Eastern Visayas and Caraga.

It also left agriculture damage worth more than P200 million. INQ