TROPICAL Depression Ester has slowed down over the Philippine Sea east of extreme northern Luzon and is enhancing the southwest monsoon or “habagat”, which will bring rains in some parts of the country on Saturday.
“Ester” was last estimated at 800 km. east of Itbayat, Batanes, packing maximum sustained winds of 45 kph near the center, and gustiness of up to 55 kph, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said in its 5 a.m. tropical cyclone bulletin.
The tropical depression (TD) is moving slowly north-northwestward while its strong winds extend outwards up to 600 km. from the center.
“Ester” is seen to leave the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by the afternoon and will remain a TD in the next 36 hours.
In the next 24 hours, PAGASA said the “habagat”, enhanced by “Ester” and Tropical Storm Songda (international name) outside the PAR, will bring light to moderate with at times heavy rains over several provinces in the western section of southern Luzon (including Metro Manila) and the Visayas.
Seas will be moderate to rough over the northern and eastern seaboards of the country.
