2 weeks Ago By Acor Arceo
MANILA, Philippines – Severe Tropical Storm Leon (Kong-rey) slightly strengthened before dawn on Tuesday, October 29, and is already nearing typhoon status. Leon’s maximum sustained winds increased from 100 kilometers per hour to 110 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in its 5 am bulletin on Tuesday. The severe tropical storm’s gustiness is now up to 135 km/h from the previous 125 km/h.
PAGASA again said that Leon “is expected to rapidly intensify throughout its passage over the Philippine Sea.” It is expected to become a typhoon in the next several hours, and there is still “an increasing chance” that it will strengthen into a super typhoon “during its period of closest approach to Batanes,” possibly on Thursday, October 31. A typhoon has maximum sustained winds of 118 to 184 km/h, while a super typhoon has maximum sustained winds of 185 km/h or above.
Leon was last spotted 645 kilometers east of Tuguegarao City, Cagayan, at 4 am on Tuesday. It is moving west northwest at 10 km/h after earlier “meandering” over the Philippine Sea. There is still an “increasing possibility” of a further westward shift in Leon’s track, so the weather bureau is not ruling out landfall in Batanes, or a “close approach” to the province.
PAGASA said floods and landslides are likely as Leon is bringing moderate to torrential rain in the last three days of October. Tuesday, October 29 Intense to torrential rain (more than 200 millimeters): Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Occidental Mindoro, Antique Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Ilocos Sur, Isabela, Abra, Kalinga, Calamian Islands, Romblon, Negros Occidental, Aklan Wednesday, October 30 Intense to torrential rain (more than 200 mm): Batanes, Cagayan including Babuyan Islands Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): Ilocos Norte, Apayao, Calamian Islands, Occidental Mindoro, Antique Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Ilocos Sur, Isabela, Abra, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Romblon, Aklan Thursday, October 31 Intense to torrential rain (more than 200 mm): Batanes, Babuyan Islands Heavy to intense rain (100-200 mm): mainland Cagayan, Calamian Islands, Occidental Mindoro Moderate to heavy rain (50-100 mm): Ilocos Norte, Zambales, Bataan, Cavite, Batangas, Romblon, Antique Must Read #WalangPasok: Class suspensions, Tuesday, October 29, 2024 Meanwhile, the following areas are under Signal No. 1 as of 5 am on Tuesday, as they will have strong winds from the severe tropical storm: Batanes Cagayan including Babuyan Islands Isabela Quirino Nueva Vizcaya Apayao Kalinga Abra Mountain Province Ifugao Benguet Ilocos Norte Ilocos Sur La Union Aurora northern part of Quezon including Polillo Islands (General Nakar, Infanta, Real) Camarines Norte eastern part of Camarines Sur (Tinambac, Siruma, Goa, Lagonoy, San Jose, Garchitorena, Caramoan, Presentacion, Tigaon, Calabanga, Saglay) Catanduanes eastern part of Albay (Rapu-Rapu, Bacacay, Tabaco City, Tiwi, Malilipot, Malinao, Santo Domingo, Manito) northeastern part of Sorsogon (Prieto Diaz, Sorsogon City, Gubat) eastern part of Northern Samar (San Roque, Pambujan, Catubig, Laoang, Palapag, Gamay, Lapinig, Mapanas, Mondragon) northern part of Eastern Samar (Jipapad, Arteche, Oras, San Policarpo) The highest possible tropical cyclone wind signal due to Leon is either Signal No.
3 or 4, “especially in extreme Northern Luzon.” But PAGASA is not ruling out the raising of Signal No. 5 if Leon reaches super typhoon status.
“The wind flow coming towards the circulation” of the severe tropical storm is bringing strong to gale-force gusts to localities outside wind signal areas, too: Tuesday, October 29 Bataan, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Visayas, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Camiguin Wednesday, October 30 Bataan, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, most of Visayas, Dinagat Islands Thursday, October 31 Aurora, Quezon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Dinagat Islands ALSO ON RAPPLER Duterte monopolizes Senate hearing; allies challenge House quad committee findings [Ask Your Comelec] How safe are voters’ data? [Rappler’s Best] Follow the money In the next 24 hours, here are the expected sea conditions: Up to high seas (travel is risky for all vessels) Northeastern seaboard of mainland Cagayan – waves up to 8 meters high Seaboards of Batanes; remaining seaboards of Cagayan – waves up to 7 meters high Seaboards of Isabela – waves up to 6 meters high Up to very rough seas (travel is risky for all vessels) Seaboards of Ilocos Norte, Aurora, and Camarines Norte; northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands, Camarines Sur, and Catanduanes; seaboard of northern Quezon – waves up to 4.5 meters high Up to rough seas (small vessels should not venture out to sea) Remaining seaboard of Quezon; seaboard of Ilocos Sur; eastern seaboards of Albay and Sorsogon; northern and eastern seaboards of Northern Samar; eastern seaboard of Eastern Samar – waves up to 3 meters high Up to moderate seas (small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible) Seaboards of La Union, Pangasinan, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Davao Oriental – waves up to 2.5 meters high Remaining seaboards of Luzon and Visayas; northern seaboard of Mindanao – waves up to 2 meters high After its potential landfall or close approach to Batanes, Leon could make landfall in the eastern coast of Taiwan on Thursday afternoon or evening.
Taiwan is within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR). Afterwards, Leon is expected to cross Taiwan, then turn north or north northeast toward the East China Sea and leave PAR on Thursday evening or early Friday morning, November 1. Leon is the Philippines’ 12th tropical cyclone for 2024, and the second for October.
– Rappler.com.
