‘Ester’ moving further away from PH

MT Satellite image June 11, 2014, 7:01 am. Screengrab from https://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/

MANILA, Philippines–While Tropical Depression Ester is moving farther up north away from the country, the Philippines can expect rains on Wednesday due to the southwest monsoon still prevailing over Luzon, the weather bureau said.

In its early-morning bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that as of 4 a.m. Tuesday, Ester was estimated at 330 kilometers north of Basco, Batanes, with maximum sustained winds of 55 kilometers per hour near the center.

Ester was moving at a pace of 20 km northeast, Pagasa said.

No storm warning signals have been raised as of posting time.

Batanes, Calayan and Calayan group of islands, Ilocos and Cordillera regions, Central Luzon and Metro Manila are set to be drenched with monsoon rains.

Other parts of Luzon will also experience occasional rains while the rest of the country will be partly cloudy to cloudy with isolated rainshowers and thunderstorms.