Metro Manila, Philippines – The low pressure area monitored northwest of Batanes has developed into a Tropical Depression and has been locally named “Ester,” the weather bureau announced on Friday, June 5.
In its 5:00 a.m. bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) raised Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal No. 1 over Batanes.
Ester was last located 225 kilometers west of Itbayat, Batanes.
The tropical depression is moving northeastward at 20 kilometers per hour (kph), packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 55 kph.
While Ester traverses the northern boundary of the country, PAGASA warned that the southwest monsoon (habagat) will continue to bring heavy rainfall across parts of Luzon over the weekend:
Friday, June 5: Most of Luzon
Saturday, June 6: Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Region, Isabela, Zambales, Bataan, Metro Manila, CALABARZON, and Occidental Mindoro
Sunday, June 7: Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Ilocos Region, and Zambales
Ester is forecast to make landfall over the southwestern coast of Taiwan today before exiting the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Saturday morning.
