Storm Signal No. 1 up in Batanes, Luzon amid Tropical Depression Ester — PAGASA

Tropical cyclone wind signal no. 1 is hoisted over Batanes and Luzon following the development of Tropical Depression Ester, which will bring intense rainfall along with the effects of the Southwest Monsoon, according to the state weather bureau on Friday.

Ester developed into a tropical depression around 3:00 a.m., the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in a 5:00 a.m. press briefing.

This prompted the hoisting of Storm Signal No. 1 over Batanes and Luzon, where strong and up to minor life threatening winds are expected.

Tropical depression Ester was last located offshore 225 kilometers West of Itbayat Batanes, packing 45 kilometers per hour (kph) of maximum sustained winds and 55 kph of gustiness, PAGASA said.

It is moving 20 kph northwestward heading Taiwan.

Apart from storm signal, rainfall warning was raised in nine areas due to the combined effects of the tropical depression and southwest monsoon, PAGASA said.

Orange rainfall warning was hoisted in La Union and Ilocos Sur where torrential rains, or 100 to 200 millimeters (mm) of rainfall are expected.

PAGASA warned of numerous flood events in urbanized areas and flood prone areas under the rainfall warning.

Yellow rainfall warning, meanwhile, is raised over Batanes, Ilocos Norte, Abra, Benguet, Pangasinan, and Zambales.

At this warning, strong rains, or 50 to 100 mm of rainfall is expected.

Tropical depression Ester is expected to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by tomorrow, Saturday.— Edg Adrian A. Eva