PAGASA: Leon may become super typhoon near Batanes

Signal no. 2 is up in eight areas in Luzon as Typhoon Leon continues to intensify while moving northwest at 15 kph over the Philippine Sea.

According to PAGASA’s 11 p.m. advisory on Tuesday, Leon is forecast to rapidly intensify and will likely be a super typhoon or almost a super typhoon intensity during its closest point of approach to Batanes.

It will be closest to Batanes from Thursday early morning to noon time. A landfall in Batanes is also not ruled out.

Signal No. 2 has been raised over the following areas. They will experience  winds of 62 kph to 88 kph over the next 24 hours:

• Batanes
• Cagayan including Babuyan Islands
• the northern and eastern portions of Isabela (Santo Tomas, Santa Maria, Quezon, San Mariano, Naguilian, Dinapigue, Delfin Albano, San Pablo, Ilagan City, Benito Soliven, Tumauini, Cabagan, Palanan, Quirino, Divilacan, Gamu, Mallig, Maconacon, Burgos, City of Cauayan, San Guillermo, Angadanan, Cabatuan, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Roxas, Aurora, San Manuel)
• Apayao
• Kalinga
• the northern and eastern portions of Abra (Tineg, Lacub, Malibcong, Lagayan, San Juan, Lagangilang, Licuan-Baay, Daguioman)
• the eastern portion of Mountain Province (Paracelis)
• Ilocos Norte

The following areas under Signal no. 1 may expect winds of 39 kph to 61 kph or intermittent rains over the next 36 hours:

• the rest of Isabela
• Quirino
• Nueva Vizcaya
• the rest of Mountain Province
• Ifugao
• Benguet
• the rest of Abra
• Ilocos Sur
• La Union
• the eastern portion of Nueva Ecija (General Tinio, Gabaldon, Bongabon, Carranglan, Pantabangan, Laur, Rizal)
• Aurora
• the northern portion of Quezon (Infanta, General Nakar) including Polillo Islands
• Camarines Norte
• the northern portion of Camarines Sur (Siruma, Tinambac, Lagonoy, Garchitorena, Caramoan)
• the northern and eastern portions of Catanduanes (Pandan, Gigmoto, Bagamanoc, Panganiban, Viga, Baras, Caramoran)

Leon was last observed at 450 kilometers east of Aparri, Cagayan with maximum sustained winds of 155 kph and gustiness of up to 190 kph.

By Thursday afternoon, Leon will be making a landfall on the eastern coast of Taiwan and exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by Thursday evening or Friday early morning. —NB, GMA Integrated News