Super Typhoon Leon’s Batanes landfall ‘less likely’ but ‘violent conditions’ persist

This is AI generated summarization, which may have errors. For context, always refer to the full article.

The maximum sustained winds of Super Typhoon Leon (Kong-rey) reached 195 km/h in the early hours of Thursday, October 31, which PAGASA says could already be its peak intensity

MANILA, Philippines – “Violent conditions” continued in extreme Northern Luzon before dawn on Thursday, October 31, as Super Typhoon Leon (Kong-rey) passed close to the province of Batanes.

At 4 am on Thursday, Leon was located 100 kilometers east northeast of Itbayat, Batanes. It is moving northwest at 20 kilometers per hour, slightly slower than the 25 km/h after midnight.

The super typhoon’s maximum sustained winds reached 195 km/h in the early hours of Thursday, which could already be its peak intensity, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). Its gustiness is up to 240 km/h.

PAGASA said in its 5 am bulletin on Thursday that Leon would be closest to Batanes in the next 3 hours, but landfall in the province “is now becoming less likely.”

Instead, Leon may keep moving over the sea until it makes landfall in Taiwan, which is within the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR), by Thursday afternoon. It may also weaken into a typhoon before hitting land there.

After crossing Taiwan, Leon is projected to head for the East China Sea and leave PAR on Thursday night or early Friday morning, November 1. “A second landfall over mainland China is not ruled out during this period,” PAGASA added.

Fewer areas remain under tropical cyclone wind signals as of 5 am on Thursday, but Signal No. 5 — the highest — is still i