As Super Typhoon Leon moves past the extreme northern parts of Luzon, areas like Batanes are experiencing severe weather conditions, marked by intense winds and heavy rains.
As of 5 a.m., PAGASA said that Leon is expected to pass closest to Batanes within the next few hours, but direct landfall in the region has become less likely.
The center of the eye of Super Typhoon Leon was estimated at 115 kilometers east northeast of Basco, Batanes or 120 km East of Itbayat, Batanes packing maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers per hour near the center, gustiness of up to 240 km/h, and central pressure of 920 hPa.
Leon is moving northwestward at the speed of 25 kph with strong to typhoon-force winds extend outwards up to 600 km from the center.
Due to this, Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal (TCWS) No. 5 is raised over the following areas:
- the northern and eastern portions of Batanes (Itbayat, Basco)
TCWS No. 4 is hoisted over the following areas:
- the rest of Batanes
TCWS No. 3 is raised over the following areas:
- the eastern portion of Babuyan Islands (Babuyan Is., Camiguin Is., Calayan Is.)
- the northeastern portion of mainland Cagayan (Santa Ana)
TCWS No. 2 is raised over the following areas:
- The rest of Babuyan Islands
the rest of mainland Cagayan
the northern portion of Isabela (Santo Tomas, Santa Maria, Quezon, Delfin Albano, San Pablo, Ilagan City, Tumauini, Cabagan, Palanan, Quirino, Divilacan, Mallig, Maconacon)
Apayao
the northern portion of Kalinga (City of Tabuk, Balbalan, Pinukpuk, Rizal)
the northern portion of Abra (Tineg, Lacub, Malibcong)
Ilocos Norte
TCWS No. 1 is hoisted over the following areas:
- the rest of Isabela
- Quirino
- Nueva Vizcaya
- the rest of Abra
- the rest of Kalinga
- Mountain Province
- Ifugao
- Benguet
- Ilocos Sur
- La Union
- the northern and central portions of Pangasinan (Basista, Lingayen, Villasis, City of Alaminos, Anda, Malasiqui, Tayug, San Fabian, Mangaldan, Mapandan, Burgos, Dagupan City, Binalonan, Bolinao, Alcala, San Manuel, Sual, Umingan, Asingan, Labrador, Bani, Santo Tomas, Pozorrubio, San Quintin, Santa Maria, City of Urdaneta, Laoac, Natividad, Mabini, San Carlos City, Manaoag, Binmaley, San Jacinto, Bugallon, Agno, Calasiao, San Nicolas, Santa Barbara, Balungao, Sison, Rosales, Dasol)
- the northern and eastern portions of Nueva Ecija (Bongabon, Carranglan, Pantabangan, Laur, Rizal, Cuyapo, Talavera, Santo Domingo, Llanera, Science City of Muñoz, General Mamerto Natividad, San Jose City, Lupao, Talugtug, Gabaldon)
- the northern and central portions of Aurora (Casiguran, Dinalungan, Baler, Maria Aurora, Dipaculao, San Luis, Dilasag)
Heavy Rainfall Outlook
The state weather bureau reported in Weather Advisory No. 14 that intense to torrential rains is expected over Batanes.
Heavy to intense rains is forecast over Babuyan Islands, Occidental Mindoro, and Calamian Islands while moderate to heavy rain is expected over Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan, Zambales and Bataan.
Coastal Inundation
The threat of life-threatening storm surges remains high, especially in low-lying and exposed coastal areas of Batanes and the Babuyan Islands, with peak surge heights potentially exceeding 3 meters above normal tides.
Hazards Affecting Coastal Waters
The sea conditions across Northern Luzon’s seaboards remain dangerous, with gale warnings currently active:
- Up to 14 meters: Seaboard of Batanes
- Up to 12 meters: Seaboard of Babuyan Islands
- Up to 10 meters: Seaboard of northeastern Cagayan
Vessels of all sizes are advised to stay in port due to the high seas and intense winds. Mariners are cautioned to avoid navigating these waters until conditions stabilize.
Track and Intensity Outlook
Super Typhoon Leon is projected to continue moving northwest, potentially making landfall on Taiwan’s eastern coast later today.
The storm may weaken as it interacts with Taiwan’s mountainous terrain, leading to further downgrading over the coming hours.
Leon is forecast to exit the Philippine Area of Responsibility by early tomorrow, November 1, though it could still make a second landfall in mainland China.
