Tropical Storm Leon exits PAR, isolated rain showers due

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MANILA, Philippines — Tropical Storm Leon (international name: Noul) has exited the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR) and is now heading towards Vietnam, the state weather bureau said Thursday.

In its 4 a.m. live weather update, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) said that “Leon” left the Philippine territory at 3 a.m.

The tropical storm was last spotted at 360 kilometers north of Kalayaan Islands, Palawan.

But while “Leon” is now outside the PAR and heading to Vietnam, the tropical storm continues to enhance the southwest monsoon or “habagat”.

Hence, cloudy skies with scattered rain showers and thunderstorms are expected over Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, Palawan), Bicol and Caraga regions, the provinces of Aurora and Quezon, as well as Visayas.

Meanwhile, Metro Manila and the rest of the country will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rain showers due to localized thunderstorms.

“Leon” packs maximum sustained winds 85 kilometers per hour (kph) near the center, and gustiness of up to 105 kph.

The tropical storm was also monitored moving west-northwest at 15 kph.

“Inaasahang itong [liliko] pa-westward ngayong gabi o bukas ng umaga at inaasahan natin ang landfall scenario over northern or central Vietnam either by tomorrow afternoon or evening,” weather specialist Raymond Ordinario said of storm’s forecast track.

(We are expecting that “Leon” will turn west either by tonight or tomorrow, and we are expecting a landfall  over northern or central Vietnam either by tomorrow afternoon or evening.)

“Leon” is also expected to reach severe tropical storm category within 12 hours and may reach peak intensity by Friday, Ordinario added.

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