‘Ester’ exits, rains to persist – PAGASA

Tropical cyclone Ester (international name: Gaemi) has left the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) but will continue to induce monsoon rains over most parts of Luzon.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) estimated the location of ‘Ester’ at 635 kilometers (km) north-northeast of Basco, Batanes Saturday morning.

It has maximum sustained winds of 60 kilometers per hour (kph) and gustiness of up to 90 kph, moving eastnortheast of 38 kph.

"Ester" is expected to continue to enhance the southwest monsoon or ‘habagat’, which will bring rains over the Ilocos region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Batanes, Babuyan group of islands, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bataan and Zambales.

PAGASA warned residents in these areas of possible flooding or landslides due to moderate to occasional heavy rains.

Meanwhile, cloudy skies with light to moderate rains and isolated thunderstorms will affect Metro Manila, Southern Luzon, and the rest of Central Luzon.

Flooding is possible in low-lying areas, PAGASA said.

Visayas, Mindanao and the rest of Luzon will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to localized thunderstorms

Due to the surge of ‘habagat’, a gale warning remains in effect as rough to very rough seas is expected over Northern Luzon and the western section of Central Luzon, particularly over Batanes, Babuyan group of islands, northern coast of Cagayan, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales and Bataan.