Typhoon Marilyn weakens, slows down

MANILA, Philippines - Typhoon Marilyn (international name In-fa) weakened and slowed down yesterday as it hovered over the Philippine Sea, the state weather bureau said.

Marilyn is still not expected to affect any part of the country, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

As of 4 p.m. yesterday, the eye of Marilyn was located at 1,000 kilometers east of Casiguran, Aurora, packing winds of 150 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 185 kph.

It was forecast to move north northwest at 11 kph.

Marilyn would not make landfall and is expected to exit the Philippine area of responsibility on Thursday, PAGASA weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said.

It was forecast to recurve towards the Northern Pacific Ocean last night.

“We can expect good weather in the next few days except for isolated rainshowers and thunderstorms, particularly in the eastern section of the country,” Aurelio said.

Marilyn is the 13th tropical cyclone to enter the country this year and the first weather disturbance this month.

Aurelio said the ridge of high-pressure area east of Luzon and the Visayas was preventing Marilyn from moving closer to the Philippines.

However, the weather bureau warned the public against rough to very rough seas over the northern and eastern seaboards of Luzon and the eastern seaboard of the Visayas due to the northeast monsoon.

Meanwhile, cloudy skies with light to moderate rain and isolated thunderstorms will be experienced over eastern and central Visayas, and the regions of Soccsksargen and Davao due to the intertropical convergence zone.

The northeast monsoon, on the other hand, would bring partly cloudy to cloudy skies with light rain expected over the Batanes, Calayan and Babuyan group of islands.

Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms would also prevail over Metro Manila and the rest of the country.