MANILA - Tropical depression Ester has entered the Philippine area of responsibility and will bring monsoon rains over Luzon over the weekend, state weather bureau PAGASA said late Thursday.

In its 11 p.m. advisory, PAGASA said Ester was last spotted 330 km northwest of Basco, Batanes, packing maximum sustained winds of 55 kph with up to 65 kph gusts.

It is forecast to move 14 kph east-northeast and exit PAR by Friday evening or Saturday morning.

Tropical cyclone warning signal number 1 remains hoisted over Batanes due to the tropical depression.

Ester will enhance the southwest monsoon and will bring moderate to occasionally heavy rains over Ilocos region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Bataan, and Zambales.

Light to moderate and at times heavy rains are, meanwhile, expected in Metro Manila, Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, Cavite, and Batangas until the weekend.

The low-pressure area east of Mindanao has dissipated, PAGASA said.