Tropical Storm Leon slightly intensifies

MANILA, Philippines – Tropical Storm Leon (Kong-rey) slightly strengthened on Sunday afternoon, October 27, with its maximum sustained winds increasing from 65 kilometers per hour to 75 km/h.

Leon’s gustiness is now up to 90 km/h from the previous 80 km/h, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in its 5 pm bulletin on Sunday.

As of 4 pm, the tropical storm was located 1,000 kilometers east of Central Luzon, moving west at a slightly slower 20 km/h from 30 km/h on Sunday morning.

Leon is expected to continue moving west on Sunday before heading generally northwest from Monday, October 28, to Tuesday, October 29, then north northwest on Wednesday, October 30, and Thursday, October 31.

That means Leon remains far from Philippine landmass. It could pass very close to or make landfall in Taiwan or the southwestern part of Japan’s Ryukyu Islands, according to PAGASA.

A further westward shift in Leon’s track, however, would “bring the Wednesday-Thursday segment of the track forecast closer to extreme Northern Luzon.”

In terms of intensity, Leon is seen to gradually strengthen within 24 hours and become a severe tropical storm on Monday and a typhoon on Tuesday.

“This tropical cyclone may also undergo rapid intensification,” added the weather bureau.

While Leon might not make landfall in the Philippines, its outer rainbands could affect extreme Northern Luzon, “depending on how close it will be during its north northwestward movement over the Philippine Sea.”

The trough or extension of the tropical storm is also seen to bring scattered rain and thunderstorms to Catanduanes on Sunday.

In addition, Leon may “continue to influence the southwesterly windflow” initially triggered by Severe Tropical Storm Kristine (Trami). For the rest of Sunday, the southwesterly windflow will cause scattered rain and thunderstorms in Western Visayas, Negros Island Region, Occidental Mindoro, and Palawan.

Leon could bring winds to some areas, too. Signal No. 1 may be raised for parts of Cagayan Valley and the northeastern part of Bicol by Sunday evening at the earliest or Monday at the latest.

The highest tropical cyclone wind signal due to Leon could be Signal No. 1 or 2, also depending on how close it will be when it moves north northwest over the Philippine Sea.

The weather bureau added that “the wind flow coming towards the circulation” of the tropical storm will bring strong to gale-force gusts to the following areas:

Sunday, October 27

• Palawan, Romblon, Catanduanes, Sorsogon, Masbate, most of Visayas, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Camiguin

Monday, October 28

• Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Batangas, most of Mimaropa, most of Bicol, Visayas, most of Northern Mindanao, most of Caraga

Tuesday, October 29

• Aurora, Metro Manila, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol, Visayas, Dinagat Islands, Surigao del Norte, Camiguin

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In the next 24 hours, up to rough seas are expected in these coastal waters:

• Seaboard of Batanes – waves up to 4 meters high
• Seaboards of Kalayaan Islands and Babuyan Islands; northern and eastern seaboards of mainland Cagayan Valley and Catanduanes – waves up to 3 meters high

Small vessels should not venture out to sea.

Meanwhile, up to moderate seas are seen in these coastal waters:

• Western seaboard of Palawan, Batangas, Bataan, and Zambales; seaboards of Occidental Mindoro, Pangasinan, La Union, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, Aurora, northern mainland Quezon, and Camarines Norte; northern and eastern seaboards of Polillo Islands, Camarines Sur, and Northern Samar; eastern seaboards of Albay, Sorsogon, and Eastern Samar – waves up to 2.5 meters high
• Eastern seaboard of Dinagat Islands – waves up to 2 meters high

Small vessels should take precautionary measures or avoid sailing, if possible.

Leon is the Philippines’ 12th tropical cyclone for 2024, and the second for October. – Rappler.com