Leon slightly intensifies as it continues to move away from PH

MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Storm Leon slightly intensified as it moved towards exiting the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) on Wednesday night, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

The latest satellite imagery from PAGASA showed Leon at around 380 kilometers north-northeast of Kalayaan Islands in Palawan.

It was packing maximum sustained winds of 85 kilometers per hour with a gustiness reaching up to 105 kph.

Leon was moving northwest at 20 kph, slightly faster thant its earlier movement.

PAGASA predicted that it would leave PAR on Thursday morning, and by 8:00 p.m., it would be around 595 km north-northwest of Kalayaan Islands.

Even then, Leon would still have an effect on the southwest monsoon, which would bring intermittent gusts of wind over Batanes, Babuyan Islands, Mimaropa, and Western Visayas.

The intensified monsoon would also bring rainfall over Mimaropa, Western Visayas, and the Zamboanga Peninsula.

Gale warnings were raised over the western seaboard of Palawan, the waters surrounding Occidental Mindoro, Zambales, and Bataan, where seas may be rough to very rough with waves ranging from 2.8 meters to 4.5 meters.

PAGASA warnED that sea travel over these areas would be risky, especially for fisherfolk and seafarers using small boats.

Meanwhile, the rest of the country might have moderate sea conditions, with waves as high as 1.2 meters to 3.1 meters.

[atm]